Fans of the famous English author are championing his works yet again in a bid to have him appear on a future banknote. The Tolkien Society is an educational charity and fan club that dedicates its time to promoting the life and works of J.R.R. Tolkien, and this time, their mission has taken on new heights. The organisation’s CEO, Shaun Gunner, wrote to the chief cashier, Victoria Cleland, to highlight the significance of the author’s work and impact on modern society.
This comes after the bank called on the public for their views and suggestions for designs that honour notable figures. Historical writers such as Jane Austen and William Shakespeare have previously been featured on a banknote, and society believes it’s time for Tolkien to be up there with the greats.
Their website states: “As we begin to design the next series of banknotes, we invite the public to share their views on potential themes. Our banknotes have celebrated notable historical figures since 1970, when William Shakespeare became the first person other than the monarch to feature on one.”
They suggested themes such as notable historical figures, nature, architecture and landmarks, arts, culture and sports, noteworthy milestones, and innovation.
In a letter to the Bank of England, the society highlighted the success of Tolkien, stating: “The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings have sold 100 million and 150 million copies, respectively, making Tolkien one of the best-selling authors of the 20th century. The impact on our modern culture is hard to underestimate.”
It further states the author’s admiration of the English countryside and how his works celebrated these rural areas, particularly around Birmingham. They wrote: “When looking at Tolkien’s fantastical world, it is easy to believe that this is all make-believe.
“But there are glimpses of the English countryside in Middle-earth, most notably the land and nature around Sarehole Mill in modern-day Birmingham, which inspired Tolkien’s vision of The Shire. A banknote featuring Tolkien and Birmingham would bring pride and joy to the residents of the city and help proudly display our cultural heritage to both residents and visitors.”
The Bank of England now states that the consultation on banknote themes has officially closed, and they will begin to review all ideas and responses. This will see the first major redesign of banknotes in 50 years as they collate thousands of ideas from people across the UK.
Victoria Cleland, whose signature appears on every banknote, shared: “We have had many thousands of responses and lots of interest and engagement from young people too,” the BBC reports.
“The reaction shows how important banknotes are as a way to celebrate the UK and how much we have to celebrate… People have engaged strongly with our six suggested themes and, within these, have suggested a wide range of ideas, from engineering achievements to folklore and mythology to transport.”
