By Salsa Mazlan
Sea turtles and brightly coloured tropical fish circle coral reefs and conch shells while cricketing great Sir Viv Richards pulls a loose delivery away to the boundary. The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank’s (ECCB’s) striking new $2 banknote is a celebration of the islands’ marine life and sporting legends.
The monetary authority wanted something special to mark its 40th anniversary in 2023. So it worked with British company De La Rue, the world’s largest commercial printer of banknotes, on a commemorative bill. The design aims to showcase the currency union’s exciting future, according to Camillo Gonsalves, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ finance minister.
It’s the ECCB’s first note that doesn’t feature the British monarch, who remains head of state in all but one of the six nations and two overseas territories that use the East Caribbean dollar.
As well as its eye-catching appearance, the banknote incorporates several innovations to prevent counterfeiting. Security and design features combine to form a single scene showing hawksbill turtles and damselfish in a complex polymer window that spotlights the biodiversity of the archipelago’s spectacular reefs.
The East Caribbean note saw off stiff competition from nearly 100 other candidates to claim the International Bank Note Society 2023 Bank Note of the Year prize. Despite impressive offerings from Jamaica, Peru, and South Africa, it was the overwhelming favorite from the start of voting, the society said.
It was also named best commemorative banknote by the International Association of Currency Affairs and received a third award from High Security Printing Latin America.
Antiguan cricketer Richards, one of the world’s greatest batsmen and popularly known as the “Master Blaster,” was reserved away from the pitch. But he was a formidable force at the batting crease. He helped the West Indies to victory against Australia in the 1975 Cricket World Cup and did it again against England four years later.
As captain from 1984 to 1991, he led the West Indies in 50 test matches, the most prestigious form of cricket, and remains the team’s only captain who never lost a series. He played his entire 17-year career without a helmet.
Speaking at its launch in Antigua and Barbuda, Timothy Antoine, the ECCB governor, said he hoped the new banknote would inspire people across the region to similar feats of fearlessness.
– Salsa Mazlan is on the staff of Finance & Development.
