Jane Austen £10 Revealed

The new Jane Austen inspired £10 note has just been revealed and is set to be available from September this year. This comes to many as a refreshing shift away from always celebrating monarchs or political leaders and instead giving some well deserved credit to a literary legend. Yes, it is true that she may not have ruled a nation or helped end a war, but many would argue that writers like Austen are an inspiration in their own right and deserve to have their faces seen by millions on a daily basis. It could even be said that these new £10 notes add another face into the mix, allowing for some much-needed variety from seeing Churchill or Queen Lizzie’s cheery faces every day.

This commemoration for the 200^th anniversary of Austen’s death has not however been without its controversy. Much like when the new £5 was introduced, animal rights groups and certain religious groups are in uproar that even more notes that contain animal fats are being put into circulation. Completely new polymer notes free from animal fat are said to be on their way soon but ignoring the 100,000 signatures-strong petition against this ‘non-vegan money’ has not gone unnoticed. Nevertheless, the release of these new plastic £10 notes featuring Jane Austen is a fitting tribute and has been met with a mostly positive reception. Honouring a prolific writer such as Austen is a good example of the importance of the arts and reflects the true power of the pen!