Britain unveils Jane Austen bank note on anniversary

The Bank of England on July 18 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.

The 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.

The new notes will also contain raised dots to help the visually-impaired.

The current ten-pound note features scientist Charles Darwin, famous for his theory of evolution but these will be gradually phased out.

Austen is one of Britain's best-loved authors, who combined romance with biting social commentary that still...