Britain will put wildlife on banknotes – something Malaysia did years ago

What should a country put on its money? Famous leaders and landmarks are traditional choices, but the Bank of England has decided that its next generation of banknotes will also celebrate some rather smaller national treasures – including a bumblebee.

Last month, the Bank of England announced that the barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee, European hedgehog and Atlantic puffin would become the central images on its next series of £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes. The selections followed a public consultation that attracted nearly 500,000 responses.

The owl, bumblebee and hedgehog were the most popular choices in their categories, while the puffin was selected as the favourite marine animal.

“We have chosen four distinct and inspiring animals that not only showcase the great variety of wildlife we have in the UK but will also enhance the security of our banknotes,” then Bank of England chief cashier Victoria Cleland said.

The new notes will take several years to design, test and produce, and the bank has yet to decide which animal will appear on each denomination.

For Malaysians, however, the idea of finding wildlife in your wallet is hardly new. Bank Negara Malaysia’s current banknote series, themed “Distinctively Malaysia”, draws heavily on the country’s culture, landscapes, flora and fauna.

The fourth series began with the RM50 in 2009, with the remaining denominations introduced in 2012. The green RM5 polymer note features the rhinoceros hornbill, one of the world’s largest hornbill species.

The orange RM20 note ventures underwater, featuring two sea turtles associated with Malaysian waters: the hawksbill and leatherback. The latter has attracted renewed attention following recent nesting events in Terengganu after a nine-year absence from recorded nesting there.

Wildlife is only part of the Malaysian story: the RM10 celebrates the rafflesia, while the RM100 features Mount Kinabalu and the limestone pinnacles of Gunung Api in Mulu National Park.

On the front, all denominations retain the portrait of Malaysia’s first Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Rahman, together with the bunga raya and patterns inspired by songket.

Of course, Malaysia’s connection between wildlife and banknotes actually stretches back further than the current series. The country’s first banknotes, issued from 1967, featured a tiger’s head as a watermark, while the reverse bore Bank Negara’s stylised kijang, or barking deer, logo.

Later series focused more on landmarks, economic development and national achievements, before wildlife returned much more visibly with the current notes.

Putting plants and animals on currency is not simply about making banknotes attractive. The images also say something about how a country sees itself – and which parts of its natural heritage it considers worth celebrating.

The Bank of England’s wildlife choices are intended to represent the UK while also helping distinguish different denominations and strengthening anti-counterfeiting design. Its current notes feature historical figures including Winston Churchill, Jane Austen, J M W Turner and Alan Turing.

Meanwhile, Bank Negara says the present theme was designed around features that define the country’s diverse culture and natural environment. That means something as ordinary as paying for lunch can involve passing around tiny portraits of local biodiversity.

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