$20 Note

(The Right Excellent Samuel Jackman Prescod)

$ 20

The Right Excellent Samuel Jackman Prescod (1806-1871) was the son of a free-coloured woman and a wealthy landowner.

From an early age, he recognised the injustices faced by both the free-coloured and blacks in Barbados, and sought to unite those groups, and poor whites, against the ruling class. He gained the support of the people and formed the Liberal Party, a political organization that fought for social justice for more than 25 years.

He used his position as a journalist and editor to agitate for greater equality for blacks and free-coloureds and to provide a forum for the working class. He became the first non-white to sit in the House of Assembly as a representative for the City of Bridgetown in 1843. During his tenure in Parliament, he led the Liberal Party, which acted as an unofficial opposition. He retired from Parliament in 1860 and later assumed the office of Judge of the Assistant Court of Appeal.

He is among the 10 National Heroes named by the Barbados government in 1998.

Security Features - 2013 Series

The Right Excellent Samuel Jackman Prescod’s face appears on the left of the note when it is held up to light. The image is also visible in reverse when the note is viewed from the back.

The number “20” appears beneath the portrait watermark when the note is held up to light. The image is also visible in reverse when the note is viewed from the back.

The white areas of the broken trident become tinted with pink when the note is held up to the light. Viewed from the back of the note, the missing areas of the broken trident are filled in.

Wide bars that weave in and out of the paper change colour from red to green when the note is tilted. When the note is held up, the bars become an uninterrupted line that reads “CBB 20”.

The number “20” appears on the top right of the note when the note is tilted at certain angles.

The broken trident and the waves behind the map of Barbados glow pink and green under UV light.

Invisible fibres embedded in the paper glow under UV light.

Design Elements

Raised dots to help the blind identify the denomination. Four dots equal $20.

The Coat of Arms of Barbados.

The map of Barbados with the location of the capital city, Bridgetown, highlighted.

The official launch date of the series.

The Governor's signature.

The Parliament Buildings are located in the capital city, Bridgetown. The buildings were completed in 1874 to be a fitting home to Barbados’ parliament, which was established in 1639 and is the third oldest in the Commonwealth and so predates the construction of the buildings by more than 200 years. In addition to housing the Senate and the House of Assembly, the buildings are home to the Museum of Parliament.