Central Bank Issues 50th Anniversary Note

To celebrate the island’s golden jubilee, the Central Bank of Barbados is issuing a $50 banknote that features the official 50th anniversary logo.

“We felt it was important to recognise this milestone in our nation’s history with a commemorative note,” said Octavia Gibson, Deputy Director, Currency at the Central Bank. “We consider the choice of the $50 apt, not only because of the denomination, but also because it bears the portrait of the Father of Independence, the Right Excellent Errol Barrow.” The back of the note also carries a shot of Independence Square in Bridgetown.

Gibson assured the public that while the commemorative note carries the “Barbados 50” logo in the upper right corner of the front of the note, the security features have not changed. “You will see the same watermark, the ghost image of Errol Barrow, when you hold the note up to the light. The bars near the centre of the note still shift from red and green when the note is tilted and then become a complete strip when it is held up, and there is still the holographic foil patch on the right side. The features that people use to authenticate their notes have not changed.”

Gibson also revealed that the note is only one of the ways the Bank is marking the jubilee. “We have commissioned two limited edition 50th anniversary coins, one in silver and the other in silver with areas that are gold plated; and we also have paperweights that have the commemorative note encapsulated in transparent acrylic. Both of these make excellent souvenirs for this historic occasion.”  

The special 50th anniversary notes will go into circulation from Monday, November 21.

2016-11-21