Countless persons have either read Jane Austen's books, studied her work in college, or seen movies based on her novels. To honor the novelist, known primarily for her romantic-comedic works including "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility," the Bank Of England released a plastic ten-pound note commemorating the 200th Anniversary of Ms. Austen's death on July 18th. Link Away Live cited that the picture of Austen depicted on the bank note came from a portrait made after the author's death that softened the edges of an earlier sketch. On September 14th when the new ten-pound note is released to the public, it will become the only note in circulation to feature a woman, with the exception of Queen Elizabeth.
A quote taken from a novel accompanies Austen's visage on the bank note
Accompanying her face on the plastic currency is a quote taken from her book "Pride and Prejudice," The quote reads, "I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!" The origin of the quote was cited by Britain's Guardian newspaper in 2013. The Guardian went on to say that the character who made the quote only did so in order to impress a potential suitor, and not because they were actually interested in books. For those who promote reading and literacy, however, the quote is an ideal addition to the bank note.
Tactile features, which are raised dots similar to Braille were added to the left side of the ten-pound note and raised lines added to the right side, making the currency easier for the blind to identify.
British Governor Mark Carney, when introducing the new currency, noted that British bank notes remind the world of the country’s collective memory while illustrating the United Kingdom’s glorious history and contributions made by British citizens.
The note, although plastic, is polymer-based
According to the Central Bank, the new currency is durable, longer lasting, and more difficult to forge than money that is crafted from paper.
The ten-pound note is expected to last approximately five years as opposed to the paper notes that typically only last for two years. Some religious groups, animal rights groups, and vegans are expected to lob protests against the ten-pound note just as they did when the five-pound note was released last year. The government says it would be too costly to destroy polymer notes already in circulation but they will hold off on making the twenty-pound notes scheduled for 2020 in order to see if coconut or palm oil can be used as a plant-based replacement for the polymers which is what religious and animal rights groups want.
