Banknote imagery advisory group minutes – 29 April 2026
Time: 4pm to 5pm | Location: Bank of England, Threadneedle Street, London, EC2R 8AH and MS teams
Minutes
Item 1 – Welcome
The Chair opened the meeting by reminding members of the guidelines provided to members of the Banknote Imagery Expert Panel which informed their nominations that the animals on the shortlist should be wild, inclusive, recognisable, varied, distinctive and symbolise the UK. The Chair also reminded Members of the Bank’s obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty throughout the imagery selection process.
Members were informed about progress since the previous meeting, including engagement with the Banknote Imagery Expert Panel and preparations for the next public consultation, which is scheduled to start in June 2026.
Item 2 – Theme announcement
Members noted that the Series H theme announcement (UK wildlife) received broad media coverage. The announcement also prompted a number of suggestions for specific wildlife to be featured from members of the public and stakeholders.
Members noted the importance of ensuring the Home Nations were represented within the Series H designs.
Members noted the importance that the communications for the June 2026 consultation should clearly set out the rationale which informed the shortlist selection.
Item 3 – Expert engagement & shortlist creation
Members heard about the engagement with the wildlife experts on the Banknote Imagery Expert Panel, which was set up to help the Bank create a shortlist of animals ahead of the second consultation.
Members noted the proposed approach to structure the shortlist into 3 broad categories to give the Bank sufficient optionality in the choice of imagery across the different denominations, such that they will be distinguishable and easy to verify.
Members noted the importance of providing concise factual information to the public about each of the animals as part of the consultation and clearly explaining how public input will be used alongside the Bank’s criteria in informing the Governor’s decision.
Item 4 – Proposed shortlist
In light of the Bank’s criteria, Members considered the shortlist of animals proposed by the Expert Panel and whether to recommend them to the Governor for use in the second public consultation on Series H Banknote imagery. In particular, Members weighed up whether the beaver, which might not be easily recognised and is the national animal of Canada, or the hare should be recommended to the Governor. They agreed to seek additional views from the Expert Panel.
Decision: Members agreed to recommend the following shortlist to the Governor as the basis for the second public consultation, subject to Notes staff continuing to engage with experts to confirm specific species where needed and seek additional views on replacing the beaver with the hare.
|
Category 1 – Mammals |
Category 2 – Birds |
Category 3 – Amphibians, insects & fish |
|---|---|---|
|
brown hare or Eurasian beaver dolphin (species TBC) European Hedgehog grey seal pine marten red fox |
Atlantic puffin common kingfisher curlew barn owl great spotted woodpecker white-tailed eagle |
Atlantic salmon basking shark bumblebee (species TBC) butterfly (species TBC) dragonfly (species TBC) common frog |
Action: Notes staff to seek further advice from the Expert Panel on which specific species should be featured, and whether the hare was preferable to the beaver to avoid confusion.
Action: Notes and Comms staff to consider messaging for the second public consultation.
Action: Notes and Comms staff to consider what additional information is needed regarding each animal for the public as part of the second consultation.
Item 5 – Next steps
Notes staff will share BIAG’s recommended shortlist with the Governor.
The second public consultation is planned to run from 3 June to 3 July 2026 where participants will choose which animals they want to see featured on the next series of banknotes.
Following the consultation, BIAG will consider the results and recommend four animals to the Governor to each feature as the primary image on one of the denominations of the new series of banknotes. The Governor will make the final decision, informed by the public’s views and the Bank’s objectives for secure banknote design.
Attendees
Attendance
Victoria Cleland (Chair)
Katie Martin - Head of Stakeholder & Media Engagement
Nick McLaren - Head of Future of Money
Rhys Phillips - Governor’s Private Secretary
Emma Wild - Head of Notes Operations
Senior Manager, Banknote Security & Design
PRA Senior Advisor
Apologies
Sebastian Walsh – Secretary to the Bank
Senior Manager, Banknote Analysis, Strategy & Engagement
Observers and presenters
Deputy Head of Legal
Senior Programme Manager, Banknote Innovation Programme
Policy Adviser, Banknote Analysis, Strategy & Engagement
Policy Adviser, Banknote Analysis, Strategy & Engagement
Banknote Design Lead, Banknote Innovation Programme
Lead PMO, Banknote Innovation Programme (Minutes)
Acting Private Secretary to the Chief Cashier
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