What would be on money if we didnt have a royal family?

Question

What would be on money if we didnt have a royal family?

Answer 1

I should think it would be a picture of our wonderful leaders throughout history such as Winston Churchill, the Duke of Wellington, Horatio Nelson, Margaret Thatcher and Richard John Bingham the 7th Earl of Lucan.

Answer 2

The only problem with using architectural landmarks is that most of Britain's architectural landmarks are associated with the monarchy, it would be strange to abolish the monarchy and stop using monarchs on money only to then use famous building like the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, or Edinburgh Castle. There are only a few building works I can think of that have no association with monarchy: we could use Stonehenge, the new government buildings in Scotland and Wales, the front facade of number 10, or maybe even the London Eye.



Another option would be some kind of national animal; lions and unicorns are too associated with the monarchy though.



Another option would be various patron saints, but that would offend the pc brigade.



I'm not sure national heroes like Nelson, Churchill, or Wellington who were all firm royalists would want to be honoured by Britain by being on money if it had abolished the monarchy though. They would probably be so ashamed of modern Britain they wouldn't want to be on the money and I wouldn't be surprised if their descendants said so.



That leaves modern politicians.

Answer 3

It's an interesting question. Switzerland is thinking of abandoning people in favor of abstract designs. The advantage of not using faces is that it makes it easier to circulate the banknote outside of the country.

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The question of what is the purpose of banknotes is becoming an issue for wealthy nations. The British have a very practical view of banknotes based on the counterfeiting scare in WW2. Prisoners in concentration camps were so effective in counterfeiting the British pound that all the currency above £5 was withdrawn from circulation. Even today, there are only three £50 banknotes per person circulating in the UK. Most transaction are done with the £20 banknote. So they are for routine small purchases (mostly legal). Most people don't hide large amounts of money.

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Britain is becoming somewhat unique now in the world. USA circulates over twenty $100 banknotes per capita. Most of these banknotes circulate overseas making a huge profit for the US treasury. The era of printing thousands of dumptrucks full of $100 banknotes primarily began in 1991 when the Soviet Union fell.

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Similarly there are almost three 500 Euro banknotes circulating per person. These huge banknotes are fueling illegal drug transactions, money laundering schemes, and all kinds of weapon sales. Once again making a huge profit for the central bank.

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Switzerland is also circulating many banknotes.They circulate more than three 1000 franc notes (worth £600 or $1000 apiece) per citizen. By removing the national symbols, they will probably start circulating in Africa and Russia where they will make a profit for the central bank.

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Japanese are the largest users of banknotes in the world. Although they do not have a banknote with a high value (10,000 Yen is worth around £70) they print a huge number of them. People use a lot of currency. I don't know how much circulates oversees.

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As the oldest central bank, the Bank of London seems like it is not interested in trying to compete in this rush to capitilize on currency. I think that if the Bank of England announced that they would only be printing £5 £10 £20 banknotes, and eventually the £50 note would be phased out, the majority of people wouldn't even care.

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There are two other wealthy nations without high value banknotes, South Korea (perpetually afraid of counterfeit operations) and Iceland. Iceland is relatively unique in Europe in that it's highest value banknote is the 5000 krónur (£25 pounds). So if you are trying to conduct a large scale illegal cash operation in Iceland, you need a suitcase full of cash.

Answer 4

I'm sure we'd find some other national symbol. Here are some ideas from foreign money I happen to have around the house from past visits abroad to republics...



The USA uses the heads of past Presidents, a different one on each coin and banknote.

Euro banknotes use pictures of representative architectural styles. Each country in the Euro is allowed to make its own coins with their own design for the "heads" side (though all of them can be used anywhere in the eurozone so I have some from countries I've never even been to):

Germany uses the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, or the eagle from the German coat of arms, or an oak twig on the smaller coins (to match with the smaller pfennig coins they used to have).

France uses a picture of their traditional national symbol Marianne, or a stylised tree with the letters RF (Republique Francaise).

Ireland uses a picture of a harp, which is often used as a national symbol elsewhere.



There are endless possibilities. Perhaps we might follow the French and use Britannia?

Answer 5

Most countries have heads of state, people who are famous, landmarks, national animals, coats of arms, etc.



Like, Canada has the Queen, of course, but the other sides have things like maple leaves, beavers, moose, etc.



Many countries had coats of arms on their coins long ago.



Hence the Portuguese escudo. (Escudo is Portuguese for coat of arms)



Check out a photo of a Spanish ducado.

Answer 6

Pictographs?

Foul Language?

Graffiti?

Maybe the crappy drawings usually reserved for our refrigerators?

I think the French money should have that cow from the Cave paintings in Lescaux... which is kind of all of the above.

Answer 7

Margaret Thatcher.

Answer 8

Tony Blair

Answer 9

Gordon Brown's @rse ! More photogenic than his face.

Answer 10

I would imagine famous politicians like on US notes

Answer 11

prime minister?

pictures of british landmarks?

x

Answer 12

How about "welcome to the 21st Century" with a picture of the Houses of Parliament.