...Cayman Islands - $25 and $50 2022 25th Anniversary of Cayman Islands Monetary Authority Issues

Cayman Islands

(British Overseas Territory)

Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (Est. 1997)

Currency - Dollar (KYD)

 

Two notes of $25 and $50, both overprinted with commemorative logos for the celebration of Cayman Islands Monetary Authority's 25th Anniversary. The CIMA was established on 01.01.1997 as the primary financial services regulator a.k.a. central bank. The bank is situated in the capital city George Town in the Grand Cayman island, the largest of the three main islands of Cayman Islands. These two notes are both dated 2022 but only released in 2023. The design on both notes are the same as the two notes of $25 and $50 previously 2010 series issued but with added commemorative logo on the front for this celebration. These two notes were initially scheduled to be released in 2022 but were delayed until mid-2023. The prefix series for these two notes is D/4. Cayman Islands have a rather small population of 74,000+/- and as such it is not expected many banknotes issued, even for those for general circulation.  

Prior to 1972, the Jamaican dollar was circulating in the Cayman Islands and needless to say the Cayman Islands dollar was an offshoot of the Jamaican dollar. In 1972, the Cayman Islands introduced its own currency and like Jamaica, Australia and New Zealand, Cayman Islands adopted the 'Dollar' instead of 'Pound Sterling'. The exchange rate (Jamaica dollar to Cayman Islands dollar) at the time was $1 for ₤1. Jamaica converted its currency to decimal system on 08.09.1969. Today, one Cayman Islands dollar can buy $180+/- Jamaican dollars.

Twenty Five Dollars

 

Front - The portrait of Queen Elizabeth (b.1926-2022). This portrait was taken in 1999 by Mark Lawrence and has been used for the Cayman Islands banknotes series since 2010. The Queen was 73 years old when this portrait was taken. Since the accession to the British throne, 31 portraits of the Queen have been used on various banknotes issued around the Commonwealth issued during her 70 years reign, including those issued in Scotland. The design for this note is the same as the 2010 series but with the commemorative logo added in the center right, next to the Queen's head. Five scallop clam shells are printed in the note, with a larger one in the center left.

 

Signatures

Minister of Finance - Christopher S Saunders (tenure 2021-2023)

Managing Director - Cindy Scotland (since 2002)

Watermarks - A Hawk-bill turtle and electrotype CIMA

Dimensions - 157mm x 67mm

Back - A Hawk-bill turtle swimming in the sea, with some angle fish swimming above. This note (together with the $50) is printed by De La Rue. On the far right is an image of a scallop shell (on the front too) in grey and white colours and when the note is held up against the light, you can see a perfect registrar of the shell.

Fifty Dollars

 

Front - Queen Elizabeth the Second (b.1926-2022) on the center right, a 'flat' stingray on the center left. This is the second last series of banknotes printed with the portrait of the last Queen Elizabeth. The last series issued with her portrait was the commemorative note of $70 issued in memory of her first anniversary passing. Like the above $25 note, the three main islands of the Cayman Islands are printed in the center left, namely - Cayman Brac, Little Cayman and Grand Cayman. This note is printed with - 2022 Series Issued under The Monetary Authority Law.

Signatures

Minister of Finance - Christopher S Saunders (tenure 2021-2023)

Managing Director - Cindy Scotland (since 2002)

Watermarks -  A Hawk-bill turtle and electrotype CIMA

Dimensions - 157mm x 67mm

 

Back - A stingray swimming in the ocean. A cone shaped shell on the top left corner, and an image of a stingray perfect registration/see-through security feature is located on the bottom right corner (bottom left on the front). A perfect registration of a stingray is printed on the far right as one of the few security features of this note.

...Venezuela - 2021 to 2023 Full Set Currency Reform 1:1,000,000 Bolivares

Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela

(Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela)

Banco Central de Venezuela (BCV)

(Central Bank of Venezuela)

Currency - Bolivar (VEF)

 

Here is a full set of seven notes issued between 2021 and 2023 following the country's currency reform. This series replaces the previous currency reform of 2018. This series is to reduce six zeros from the previous issues. The reform is one new bolivares for 1,000,000 old bolivares. In the previous series, the central bank issued three hyperinflation notes of 200,000, 500,000 and 1,000,000 bolivares. 

Venezuela has a history of economic instability that led to high inflation which first started in 1983. In the mid to late 90s, high denomination notes were issued to meet the demand for larger banknotes. Since then, the country has gone through a few currency reforms, and this is the third time that the country is having it's currency reformed. 

The design for the first five notes from 5 to 100 bolivares are all the same, with the date of 29.04.2021, same signatures, same designs albeit different colours. The format for this series is that all notes are printed in vertical format and horizontal on the back.

 

Five Bolívares

 

President BCV - Calixto Ortega Sanchez (tenure 2018-)

First Vice President - Sohail Hernandez Parra (tenure 2018-)

Watermarks - Simon Bolivar and electrotype BCV

Date - 29 De Abril De 2021  

Dimensions - 69.5mm x 156.5mm

 

Front - On the front, and like many of those previously issued is the portrait of Simon Bolivar (b.1783-1830). His full name is Simon Jose Antonio de la Santisima Trinidad Bolivar Palacios Ponte y Blanco. Needless to say, the currency of Bolivar is named after him. The Bolivar was first adopted back in 1940. Prior to that, the currency of Venezuela was called Peso.

 

Back - The Triumphal arch at the Field of Battle Carabobo monument which is located approximately 30 kilometers southwest of Valencia city. This is also where the Battle of Carabobo was fought and gained independence from the Spanish. The independence fighters were led by General Simon Bolivar. This arch was erected in 1921 to celebrate the centennial of the battle. To the right is the scene of the Battle of Carabobo fought on 24.06.1821.

Ten Bolívares

 

President BCV - Calixto Ortega Sanchez (tenure 2018-)

First Vice President - Sohail Hernandez Parra (tenure 2018-)

Watermarks - Simon Bolivar and electrotype BCV

Date - 29 De Abril De 2021  

Dimensions - 69.5mm x 157mm

 

Front - No doubt Simon Bolivar is considered as a national hero in Venezuela. He was born in Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela. He came from a wealthy family and had his early education in Spain. In Venezuela, his birthday is a public holiday and is celebrated on 24th of July (his birthday anniversary).

 

Back - The Triumphal arch at the Field of Battle Carabobo monument which is located approximately 30 kilometers southwest of Valencia city. This is also where the Battle of Carabobo was fought and gained independence from the Spanish. The independence fighters were led by General Simon Bolivar. This arch was erected in 1921 to celebrate the centennial of the battle. To the right is the scene of the Battle of Carabobo fought on 24.06.1821. 

 

Twenty Bolívares

 

President BCV - Calixto Ortega Sanchez (tenure 2018-)

First Vice President - Sohail Hernandez Parra (tenure 2018-)

Watermarks - Simon Bolivar and electrotype BCV

Date - 29 De Abril De 2021  

Dimensions - 69.5mm x 157mm

 

Front - During his lifetime, he was involved in gaining independence from Spain to what we all know today as Colombia (including Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela), Peru, Bolivia and Venezuela. Due to his military success, he was the President of Colombia (1819-1830), President of Peru (1824-1827) and President of Bolivia (45 days from 06.08.1825). 

Back - The Triumphal arch at the Field of Battle Carabobo monument which is located approximately 30 kilometers southwest of Valencia city. This is also where the Battle of Carabobo was fought and gained independence from the Spanish. The independence fighters were led by General Simon Bolivar. This arch was erected in 1921 to celebrate the centennial of the battle. To the right is the scene of the Battle of Carabobo fought on 24.06.1821. 

 

Fifty Bolívares

 

President BCV - Calixto Ortega Sanchez (tenure 2018-)

First Vice President - Sohail Hernandez Parra (tenure 2018-)

Watermarks - Simon Bolivar and electrotype BCV

Date - 29 De Abril De 2021  

Dimensions - 69.5mm x 157mm

 

Front - He resigned as the President of Colombia on 27.04.1830 and died almost 8 months later in Colombia on 17.12.1830 as the relatively young age of 47 years old. He died reportedly from tuberculosis.

Back - The Triumphal arch at the Field of Battle Carabobo monument which is located approximately 30 kilometers southwest of Valencia city. This is also where the Battle of Carabobo was fought and gained independence from the Spanish. The independence fighters were led by General Simon Bolivar. This arch was erected in 1921 to celebrate the centennial of the battle. To the right is the scene of the Battle of Carabobo fought on 24.06.1821. 

 

One Hundred Bolívares

 

President BCV - Calixto Ortega Sanchez (tenure 2018-)

First Vice President - Sohail Hernandez Parra (tenure 2018-)

Watermarks - Simon Bolivar and electrotype BCV

Date - 29 De Abril De 2021 

Dimensions - 69.5mm x 157mm

Front - On the front of the first five notes (5 to 100 bolivares), the designs are the same as those previously issued.

Back - The Triumphal arch at the Field of Battle Carabobo monument which is located approximately 30 kilometers southwest of Valencia city. This is also where the Battle of Carabobo was fought and gained independence from the Spanish. The independence fighters were led by General Simon Bolivar. This arch was erected in 1921 to celebrate the centennial of the battle. To the right is the scene of the Battle of Carabobo fought on 24.06.1821. 

Two Hundred Bolívares

 

President BCV - Calixto Ortega Sanchez (tenure 2018-)

First Vice President - Sohail Hernandez Parra (tenure 2018-)

Watermarks - Simon Bolivar and electrotype BCV

Date - 17 De Agosto De 2023 

Dimensions -69.5mm x 156.5mm

Front - Three different portraits of Simon Bolivar. Above the portraits is the outline drawing of the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge located at the Tablazo Strait outlet of Lake Maracaibo in western Venezuela.

Back - To the left is the image of the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge. This bridge took four years to construct and was completed in 1962 at a cost of 350 million bolivares. Next to the bridge is the scene of the Battle of Lake Maracaibo (or Naval Battle of the Lake). This battle was fought between the forces of the Republican and the Royalist of the Spanish monarchy. The battle was fought on 24.07.1823 and won by the Republican forces.

 

Five Hundred Bolívares

 

President BCV - Calixto Ortega Sanchez (tenure 2018-)

First Vice President - Sohail Hernandez Parra (tenure 2018-)

Watermarks - Simon Bolivar and electrotype BCV

Date - 17 De Agosto De 2023

Dimensions - 70mm x 156.5mm

 

Front - Three different portraits of Simon Bolivar. Above the portraits is the outline drawing of the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge located at the Tablazo Strait outlet of Lake Maracaibo in western Venezuela.

 

Back - To the left is the image of the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge, and the scene of the Battle of Lake Maracaibo (or Naval Battle of the Lake). This battle only lasted for two hours and the casualties and losses were 44 killed, 437 captured and 164 wounded.

 

On the back all the seven notes are printed with the celebration of  the 200th Year of the Battle of Carabobo (1821-2021). The Battle of Carabobo was fought between the forces led by General Simon Bolivar and the Spanish forces led by Field Marshal Miguel de la Torre, which led to the independence of Venezuela.

...Argentina - 2000 Pesos ND2023-2024 Commemorative Note

Republica Argentina

(Argentina Republic)

Banco Central de la Republica Argentina

(Central Bank of the Argentina Republic)

Currency - Peso (ARS)

 

Below are the three commemorative notes of 2000 pesos released in 2023 and 2024. These notes were issued to celebrate the country's development of Science and Medicine. All notes are undated but were introduced on 22.05.2023 (Series A) and 08.11.2023 (Series E) and in 2024 (P suffix). Whilst the theme for these two notes are the same, the designs are not quite identical.

Below are the most noticeable differences between the first two notes, and based on the Series E note, the following features/securities are added/altered to the design :-

Front

1) The denomination value of 2000 is printed on the top left corner;

2) The windowed security thread is added;

3) The denomination value of 2000 in vertical is added between the windowed security thread and the portrait of Dr. Ramon Carrillo;

4) To the far top right corner, the value of 2000 is added to the green shield.

5) The initials of RC and CG are added to the watermarks

 

Back

1) The two signatures have shifted from the bottom right to the top right

2) Part of the Instituto Dr. Carlos Malbran building is printed in red, instead of dark grey.

Two Thousand Pesos

Signatures

President H.C. Deputies - Cecilia Moreau

President B.C.R.A. - Miguel Angel Pesce

Watermarks - Dr. Ramon Carrillo and Dr. Cecilia Grierson

Imprinter - S.E. Casa de Moneda, Buenos Aires

Dimensions - 156.5mm x 66mm 

 

Front - Dr. Ramon Carrillo (b.1906-1956) was Argentina's first Secretary of Public Health from 1949 to 1954. He was a neurosurgeon, neurologist, physician and public health advocate

 

Dr. Cecilia Grierson (b.1859-1934) was the first woman to become a physician in Argentina in 1890. She was active in public health issues and gynecology and was involved in women rights.

Back - Instituto Dr. Carlos Malbran, mainly dealing in medical investigative specialties.  

Two Thousand Pesos

Signatures

President H.C. Deputies - Cecilia Moreau

President B.C.R.A. - Miguel Angel Pesce

Watermarks - Dr. Ramon Carrillo and Dr. Cecilia Grierson and electrotype RC, CG

Dimensions - 156mm x 65.5mm

Front - Dr. Ramon Carrillo was born into an Afro-Argentine family, in the city of Santiago del Estero in the northern part of Argentina. He was Argentina's first health Minister and was forced into exile in Brazil following a coup d'etat in 1955. He died on 20.12.1956 at the very young age of 50.

Dr. Cecilia Grierson's ancestry is Scottish. Her paternal grandfather was among the Scottish colonists who first arrived in Argentina in 1825. During her lifetime and as a woman, she faced many challenges and oppositions when it came to enrollment into medical school. Because of discrimination, women were not allowed to study medicine in four major universities in the country. In order for her to get into medical school, she had to provide written justifications for the motivation in pursuing her dream. She graduated in 1889 and became the first woman in Argentina to earn a Medical degree. On 22.11.2016, Google celebrated her 157th birthday with a Google Doodle.

Back - Instituto Dr. Carlos Malbran or Malbran Institute, mainly dealing in medical investigative specialties, and is located in Barracas, a district in the capital city of Buenos Aires. Nobel Prize laureates Cesar Milstein and Bernardo Houssay once worked in this institution.

 

 

Two Thousand Pesos

Signatures

President H.C. Deputies - Martin Menem (since 2023)

President B.C.R.A. - Santiago Bausili (since 2023)

Watermarks - Dr. Ramon Carrillo and Dr. Cecilia Grierson and electrotype RC, CG

Dimensions - 155.5mm x 65.5mm

Front - Dr. Ramon Carrillo (b.1906-1956)

Dr. Cecilia Grierson (b.1859-1934).

 

Back - Instituto Dr. Carlos Malbran or Malbran Institute.

 

...Netherland Antilles - 2016 Full Set Of Four Notes

Netherlands Antilles

(Curacao and Sint Maarten, as at 10.10.2010)

 

Bank van de Nederlandse Antillen

Bank of the Netherlands Antilles, (Est.1828)

Currency - Gulden/Guilder (ANG)

The Netherlands Antilles, also known as the Dutch Antilles are a group of Caribbean islands comprises the islands of Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten in the Lesser Antilles region, and Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire in the Leeward Antilles (south of the Caribbean). This country was created in 1954 as the autonomous successor of the Dutch colony of Curacao and Dependencies. This union of tiny nations was then dissolved on 10.10.2010 when each nation was granted specific statues by the government in the Netherlands. Since then, Curacao and Sint Maarten became autonomous countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, managing their own affairs with the exceptions of defence and foreign policy. 

Since the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010, the authority continues to issue banknotes under the Netherlands Antilles's name. Aruba withdrew from the union on 01.01.1986 and since then has been issuing it's own currency - the Florin. Member nations like Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (Caribbean Netherlands) ceased using the gulden currency and all adopted the United States dollar on 01.01.2011. This leaves Curacao and Sint Maarten the remaining two nations still using the gulden currency.

The arrangement for the gulden currency used by both Curacao and Sint Maarten is due to expire on 30.06.2025. New notes have been planned to be issued in March 2025 which will only be used in Curacao and Sint Maarten only. These new series of banknotes will be issued under the central bank of Curacao and Sint Maarten. Needless to say, the notes that I have posted here are the last series for this nation under the now defunct name. 

 

It is interesting to know that Sint Maarten is a very tiny island in the Lesser Antilles region. It is so tiny that you cannot see the island on a map via the Internet unless you zoom in. Even when you do that, you will also see that this island is split into two almost equal halves, with the top half occupied by the French and the bottom by the Dutch. Both the French and the Dutch called this island the same name, albeit with different spelling. Curacao is the larger of the two islands. The land area for Curacao is 444km2 whilst Sint Maarten is only 34km2 and the distance between these two islands are about 2+ hours apart by air. These two nations have a combined population of 190,000+/-.

 

This Gulden series is the fifth series of banknotes issued since 1955. This series was introduced in 1986 to 1994. In 1998, the bank upgraded this series by adding a gold foil device on the front of all the notes. However, only four notes were issued as the 250 gulden note was not included for this upgrade. The 250 gulden has only been printed once since 1986 and as such no reprints have been issued since then. The 250 gulden note is dated 13.03.1986. 

The theme for this series is 'Bird'. Each note depicts a different bird on the front and on the back, the designs are all the same albeit the colour. All Netherlands Antilles banknotes issued are printed with a year dated since 1955, and in 1962, it added the day and month to all the notes issued.

 

Ten Gulden

Signatures

Director Secretary - Jerrald M. Hasselmeyer

President - Emsley Deonicio Tromp

Series - 2016 

Watermark - Bank seal/logo

Dimensions - 148mm x 67mm

 

Front - An image of a flying Hummingbird, purple-throated carib. This is a species of hummingbird that mainly resides on the islands of the Lesser Antilles region. The purple-throated carib are rather small birds that can grow between 11 to 12 cm long and have a weight between 7-12 grams.

 

Back - Printed in mainly green colour. The central bank seal of Bank van de Nederlandse Antillen printed in the center right. On the back of the note, the date of August 1, 2016 is printed together with the capital city of Curacao, Willemstad printed on top of the date.

 

In addition to the central bank's seal, the note is printed with two sets of serial with 10-digit long. The first 4 digits refer to the series or prefix. The remaining 6-digit is referred to the serial numbers for this series/prefix. On the watermark area, Orion rings are printed to prevent reproduction of the note by normal scanner/counterfeiting. 

Twenty Five Gulden

Signatures

Director Secretary - Jerrald M. Hasselmeyer

President - Emsley Deonicio Tromp

Series - 2016 

Watermark - Bank seal/logo

Dimensions - 148mm x 67mm

 

Front - A flying flamingo. This is a Caribbean flamingo which is tall and is a large bodied bird found in the Caribbean region. It has a long neck and a small head with bright pink colour. The Caribbean flamingo is by far the largest of all the flamingos.

 

Back - Main colour for this note is printed in red and pink. The central bank seal of Bank van de Nederlandse Antillen printed in the center right. On the back of the note, the date of August 1, 2016 is printed together with the capital city of Curacao, Willemstad printed on top of the date. It appears that this 25 gulden is more circulated than the other three notes, and since it was introduced in 1998, this note has been issued the most with 8 prints as compared to 7 for the other notes in this series. However, my assessment may not be correct unless I have the statistics information for all notes issued, as I am aware that not all denominations are printed for the same quantity.

 

Fifty Gulden

Signatures

Director Secretary - Jerrald M. Hasselmeyer

President - Emsley Deonicio Tromp

Series - 2016 

Watermark - Bank seal/logo

Dimensions - 148mm x 66.5mm

 

Front - Rufous-collared sparrow or Andean sparrow. This is an American bird that can be found mostly in Mexico and the Caribbean. This bird has a lifespan of up to ten years. It mainly feeds on seeds, grain, insects and spiders.

 

Back - This note is printed in brown and orange colour. The central bank seal of Bank van de Nederlandse Antillen printed in the center right. On the back of the note, the date of August 1, 2016 is printed together with the capital city of Curacao, Willemstad printed on top of the date.

 

One Hundred Gulden

Signatures

Director Secretary - Jerrald M. Hasselmeyer

President - Emsley Deonicio Tromp

Series - 2016

Watermark - Bank seal/logo

Dimensions - 147.5mm x 67mm

 

Front - The image of a bananaquit (bird). This species of bird can be found mainly in the Caribbean region as well as in the top half of South America. The bananquit lives among human environments and is also sometimes referred to as sugar bird.

Back - This note is mainly brown in colour. The central bank seal of Bank van de Nederlandse Antillen printed in the center right. On the back of the note, the date of August 1, 2016 is printed together with the capital city of Curacao, Willemstad printed on top of the date.

 

 

 

...Guatemala - 1 Quetzal 2024 Commemorative 1924-2024

Republica de Guatemala

(Republic of Guatemala)

 

Banco de Guatemala

(Bank of Guatemala, Est. 1945)

Currency - Quatzal (GTQ)

 

This note was reportedly released on 10.09.2024. Unlike current circulation 1 quetzal, this commemorative note is printed on paper subtracte.

 

This commemorative note was issued to celebrate the country's 100 years of adopting the currency Quetzal. The currency was first introduced in 1925 when General Jose Maria Orellana Pinto was the country's president. At the time of the currency introduction, the Quetzal was at par with the US dollar until 1987. Today, the exchange rate is about 1 quetzal worth about US$0.15+/-. Prior to 1925, the currency of Guatemala was called Peso.

 

It was reported that a total quantity of 25 million pieces was issued for this commemorative series.

One Quetzal

General Manager - Vinicio Caceres

President Alvaro Gonzalez Ricci (tenure 2022-)

Date - 15 de Noviembre de 2023 (15.11.2023)

Watermarks - N/A

Dimensions - 157mm x 67.5mm 

Front - The portrait of General Jose Maria Orellana Pinto (b.1872-1926). During his lifetime, he was a politician, engineer, a military man and also served as the President of Guatemala from 10.12.1921 until his death on 26.09.1926 at a very young age of 54 years old. Cause of death was not clear then and was a bit suspicious. Next to the General is the image of Tikal temple I or Yax Mutla. This ancient ruin is situated in northern Guatemala and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This temple is also called Temple of the Great Jaguar and is believed to have been built around 732 AD. The commemorative logo is printed in the center. In the far left is the Resplendent Quetzal, Guatemala national bird, resting on a pillar. The national bird is also featured on the national flag and the country's coat of arms too.

Back - Image of the Banco de Guatemala (Bank of Guatemala). The central bank was established in 1945. The currency of Guatemala is named after the national bird.