Will next year’s new £10 note be vegan?
It came to light earlier this week that the new plastic fivers that entered circulation to much fanfare in September, are actually made using tallow, a substance produced from animal fat.
The news sparked an online petition calling for the production process behind the notes to be changed and so far it has attracted more than 116,000 signatures.
The Bank of England has also received angry calls from vegans and vegetarians to cease the use of these banknotes immediately and change the substance used in the production of currency that they have to use in everyday life.
The petition was started by Doug Maw who states that the animal fat contained in the £5 notes is unacceptable to millions of vegans, vegetarians, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and many others in the UK.
The new £5 notes were released into circulation in September and caused a collecting frenzy!
This news has also been taken extremely seriously by a Hindu temple in Leicester who have urged worshippers not to give new five pound notes in donations.
So how many cows will actually need to be sacrificed to make all these new fivers?
VICE have put together a ‘very precise calculation’ of how many animals will be slaughtered in order to make the 329 million banknotes likely to be in circulation by the time the paper banknotes have been phased out!
Any guesses?
The answer: Just over half of one cow.
So will next year’s new £10 note be vegan?
Most likely.
Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England has stated that they are treating concerns about traces of tallow in the new polymer banknote with the utmost seriousness but also that the bank did not know about the issue when the it signed the contract for the notes.
Innovia, the company who make the polymer are already working towards potential solutions for the tallow substance which is also used in household items such as candles and soap.
What’s your coin of the year?
I’m sure you’ll agree that 2016 has been a great year for coin collectors with so many significant anniversaries being commemorated and some fantastic designs.
So which coin do you think deserves to be the ‘2016 Coin of the Year’ winner?
Cast your vote now using the poll at the bottom of the page.
A) The Queen’s 90th Birthday £5
To celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s 90th birthday, this special £5 coin was released. Designed by Christopher Hobbs, the new coin features a crowned Royal Cypher above the number 90, surrounded by roses.
B) The Great Fire of London £2
This £2 coin marks 350 years since the Great Fire destroyed virtually all of the old walled City of London. The coin was designed by Aaron West and depicts the city of London burning in flames from a distance.
C) The WW1 Army £2
This £2 is the third issue in The Royal Mint’s five year First World War Centenary series and commemorates the role of the Army. Designed by Tim Sharp, the coin honours the ‘Pals Battalions’ and marks a poignant moment in military history.
D) The Shakespeare Tragedies £2
This £2 is one of three that celebrate William Shakespeare’s life work and commemorates the 400th anniversary since his death. Designed by John Bergdahl, the coin takes inspiration from Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy play, Romeo and Juliet.
E) The Shakespeare Comedies £2
To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, this £2 coin has been issued. Designed by John Bergdahl, the £2 coin takes inspiration from Shakespeare’s most famous comedy play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
F) The Shakespeare Histories £2
This £2 is one of three coins issued to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of Britain’s greatest playwright. Designed by John Bergdahl, this coin takes inspiration from Shakespeare’s most famous history play, Macbeth.
G) The Last ‘Round’ £1
This £1 is the final ’round pound’ issued by The Royal Mint, calling time on a coin which was first issued more than thirty years ago. Designed by Gregory Cameron, the coin features the animals that represent each of the four constituent UK countries.
H) The Beatrix Potter 50p
To celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter, The Royal Mint have released this 50p to celebrate Beatrix herself. Designed by Emma Noble, this coin features some of the best-loved characters in children’s literature along with the nostalgic font used in the inscription.
I) The Peter Rabbit 50p
The ‘Tale of Peter Rabbit’ was the first of Beatrix Potter’s tales and the mischievous character has been captured in the centre of this 50p coin, designed by Emma Noble.
J) The Jemima Puddle-Duck 50p
The ‘Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck’ features a domestic duck, names Jemima, whose character is featured on this 50p coin. Designed by Emma Noble, Jemima Puddle-Duck is instantly recognisable in the centre of the coin.
K) The Mrs Tiggy-Winkle 50p
Mrs Tiggy-Winkle is the fourth release in the Beatrix Potter 50p series. Designed by Emma Boble, the conscientious hedgehog features on this 50p in her washerwoman’s dress and petticoat.
L) The Squirrel Nutkin 50p
Designed by Emma Noble, the loveable rogue ‘Squirrel Nutkin’ features at the very heart of this 50p – with his whiskers and once bushy tail captured in great detail.
M) The Battle of Hastings 50p
Struck to mark the 950th Anniversary of The Battle of Hastings, this coin depicts the fate of King Harold at the hands of William The Conqueror, along with the date 1066 – when the battle took place.
N) The Team GB 50p
This 50p was issued to wish Team GB success in Rio de Janieiro at the 2016 Summer Olympics. The coin features a swimmer with the Team GB logo and Olympic rings, an original design created for Rio 2016 by Tim Sharp.
Cast your vote now!
[polldaddy poll=9592118]
Will the Battle of Hastings 50p be the rarest coin of 2016?
It has been revealed that five million 50p coins that commemorate the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings in 1066 have been struck for circulation.
The coin features the image of King Harold with an arrow through his eye, taken from the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the Norman Invasion of Britain where he was defeated by William the Conqueror.
The Battle of Hastings coin could be the fifth rarest 50p in circulation! *Excluding the 2011 Olympic 50p Series
At just 5 million, this would make the Battle of Hastings 50p the fifth rarest 50p coin currently in circulation. Considering that the mintages of 50p’s usually overly exceed 7 million, it’s possible that the Battle of Hastings fifty pence will be the rarest coin of 2016.
Confirmation of the 2016 mintage figures wont be released by The Royal Mint until next year but as you can see from the graph above the Battle of Hastings 50p will take fifth place – in between the 2008 Britannia 50p and the 1998 NHS 50p. As long as no more coins are struck for circulation.
But as there have been seven different 50p designs in 2016 I think it is safe to assume that no more of these will be struck.
Remember, when it comes to collecting, there is one fact which is always inevitable – the rarest coins are always in highest demand.
So keep your eyes peeled, these coins will be released into circulation very soon!