Barbados
(Little Britain)
Central Bank of Barbados
Currency - Dollar (BBD)
Posted below is a full set of new polymer series issued on 05.12.2022. This series was launched on 04.05.2022 during the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Central Bank of Barbados. The launch was also telecast live around the world via YouTube. This is the first time that this tiny nation of Barbados has issued banknotes since it became a republic on 30.11.2021. Prior to that, Barbados's Head of State was the late Queen Elizabeth the Second. This is also the first time that this island nation has issued polymer banknotes in full set for general circulation as well.
The denominations issued for this series are the same as the last paper notes, which is from $2 to $100. The currency of Barbados is pegged to the USD at 50% of its value i.e. BBD $1 = USD $0.50.
Barbados is a tiny island nation situated in the Caribbean Sea. This nation is located in the Southeast of St Luci, and northeast of Grenada. It is interesting to note that Barbados is a single island nation, i.e. only one island and no other smaller islands surrounding the main island, apart from those few rocks. The size of the island is about 60% of the size of Singapore and has a very small population of just over 287,000+/- people. Barbados is sometimes also referred to as 'Little England', as the names of many streets, buildings and areas are still named after those found in England.
The designs for the new series are completely new but retain the main features of the last paper issues both on the front and the back. The last time the bank issued a new series was in 2013. In my opinion, this new series would be considered as the third series since 1973, as all banknotes issued between 1973 and 2012 were all based on the designs of 1973 series with either upgraded security features or new signatures. The designs for the 2013 were completely new, despite it also retained the main features of the previous series. Unlike those previous paper series which were all printed with the day/month/year date, this new polymer series are all just printed with "Series 2022"
Whilst this new series is printed on polymer substrate and was launched during the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Central Bank of Barbados, these notes are not commemorative issues, and no numismatic products such as folders or uncut sheets were issued either. This entire series is printed in vertical format, both front and back.
Also, unlike those previous paper series, all the polymer denominations are printed on vertical format, just like those polymer series issued by the East Caribbean.
Governor - Cleviston L Haynes (since 2017)
Dimensions - 65.5mm x 151mm (for all notes)
Two Dollars
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| John Redman Bovell (b.1855-1928) |
Front - John Redman Bovell (b.1855-1928). He was a scientist and agronomist, and was credited for saving the sugar industry in Barbados. The Trident symbol is printed on the top right hand corner.
Back - Morgan Lewis Windmill in St Andrew. This mill was used as a sugar windmill and ceased operating in 1947. Restoration on the windmill was carried out in 1997, and reopened in 1999 as a museum. This is still a working windmill. The site where this windmill is located is listed in the 1996 World Monuments Watch by the World Monuments Fund. A partial map of Barbados is printed in the background.
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Morgan Lewis Windmill in St Andrew, map
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Five Dollars
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| Sir Frank Mortimer Maglinne Worrell (b.1924-1967) |
Front - Sir Frank Mortimer Maglinne Worrell (b.1924-1967) was a cricketer and a Jamaican senator. He and together with Everton Weekes and Clyde Walcott, formed what was known as 'The Three Ws' of the West Indian cricket and a cricket is named after them, He died of leukaemia in 1967 at the aged of 42 years old. The Trident symbol is printed on the top right hand corner.
Back - 3Ws Oval UWI, men playing popular cricket games.
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| 3Ws Oval UWI |
Ten Dollars
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| Charles Duncan O'Neal (b.1879-1936) |
Front - Charles Duncan O'Neal (b.1879-1936) was a physician, political figure and a labour rights activist. In 1932, he was elected to represent his constituency in Bridgetown and held the seat for 4 years until his death in 1936. The Trident symbol is printed on the top right hand corner.
Back - Charles Duncan O'Neil bridge in Bridgetown is one of the two bridges over the Careenage. This bridge was named after Charles Duncan O'Neal.
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| Charles Duncan O'Neil bridge in Bridgetown |
Twenty Dollars
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| Samuel Jackson Prescod (b.1806-1871) |
Front - Samuel Jackson Prescod (b.1806-1871), was the first person of African descent to be elected to the Barbados parliament, in 1843. The Trident symbol is printed on the top right hand corner.
Back - The parliament of Barbados existed since 1639 but not until the Parliament House was built in 1874. Initially this building was known as Public Buildings. Both the Lower and Upper houses sit in the same building.
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Parliament building in Bridgetown
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Fifty Dollars
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| Errol Walton Barrow (b.1920-1987) |
Front - Errol Walton Barrow (b.1920-1987). He was the first prime minister of Barbados and was in office from 1966 to 1976 and then re-elected in 1986 until his death in 1987. Prior to that, he was the Premier from 1961 to 1966. Barbados became independent from the British on 30.11.1966. The Trident symbol is printed on the top right hand corner.
Back - Independence Square Bridgetown is located on the waterfront area in the heart of the capital city of Bridgetown. Construction for the square was started in
2005 and completed in 2007. A major attraction of the square is the larger than life Statue of Errol Walton Barrow (9 feet tall) dominating the whole square. Errol Barrow is sometimes also referred to as the Father of Independence in Barbados.
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| Independence Square Bridgetown |
One Hundred Dollars
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| Sir Grantley Herbert Adams (b.1898-1971) |
Front - Sir Grantley Herbert Adams (b.1898-1971) was the first Barbados Premier from 1953 to 1958, and then the first and only prime minister of the West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962. The West Indies Federation was a union which included Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica and the Leeward and Windward Islands. Its union collapsed due to political conflicts between parties as to how the union should be governed. In 1998, he was named as one of the National Heroes of Barbados. The Trident symbol is printed on the top right hand corner.
Back - Grantley Adams International Airport in Christ Church. This airport was reportedly started in September 1938 and was then known as Seawell Airport. The airport is located in the southern part of the island, next to the island's capital Bridgetown. In 1976, the airport was renamed Grantley Adams International Airport in honour of the Island's first Premier.
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| Grantley Adams International Airport in Christ Church |
Footnote:
If anyone knows what the initial L stands for the Governor's name (Cleviston L Haynes), please let me know. Thanks.
Fifty Dollars Polymer 
