The Bank of England on Tuesday unveiled a new bank note featuring Jane Austen to coincide with the author’s death 200 years ago after a campaign to include more women on Britain’s currency.
The new note worth ten pounds ($13, 11.3 euros) and made of polymer instead of paper will enter circulation in September.
Tuesday’s launch follows the introduction of a polymer five-pound note last year that sparked controversy after the Bank of England confirmed that tallow, or animal fat, is used in the production process.
Activists and religious groups have called for sustainable, plant-based alternatives, but while the BoE is continuing to use tallow, it is looking at the possibility of finding a different product in time for the release of its polymer 20-pound note due 2020.
The Bank of England has praised the new notes for being waterproof and having enhanced security features.
BoE Governor Mark Carney unveiled the new note in Winchester, southern England, where Austen is buried.
“Our banknotes serve as repositories of the country’s collective memory, promoting awareness of the United Kingdom’s glorious history and highlighting the contributions of its greatest citizens,” Carney said at the unveiling.
“The new 10 pound note celebrates Jane Austen’s work. Austen’s novels have a universal appeal and speak as powerfully today as they did when they were first published,” he added.
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