Communities and representation on bank notes

The time is now ripe to engage in a broader discussion about what these images of finance signify. Such debates have taken place recently in the public eye with a greater inclusion of women, most notably Jane Austen in England and Wales, on the new wave of more secure polymer bank notes. Yet, this conversation is now far more pertinent because we are at turning point. With the passing of the Queen, English bank notes will now be redesigned. This will also be the case in many of the Commonwealth Countries, where her face remains etched on notes, bills and coins. Furthermore, as the UK and other countries with developed financial technology infrastructure move away from cash transactions, there are still substantial groups of population who rely on cash in their daily lives. These people, who tend to be less fintech-savvy, with limited or no access to internet and smart devices, also are more likely to be disadvantaged in other ways. It is, therefore, important that the design of notes and coins reflects inclusivity and assurance of belonging to the modern society.

This project examines the visual designs of the modern and historical bank notes and coins, together with other financial instruments. As money is passed through communities, the images displayed on them often present representations of characters and members of those societies. It also serves as an indication of those who govern and regulate those entities. These designs inspire confidence in the country’s financial system and ensure its stability as well as the acceptance of the bank note as a form of legal tender.

This project explores the monetary designs from local, national, regional and supra-national issuers. It shows how different design schemes have been chosen and how these create bonds between monetary institutions and those in wider society who use these documents as a tool for financial exchange. It shines a light on a multitude of different designs that could now be adopted in this moment of change in the English-speaking world.