New Series for Barbados – Bajan to the Bone

At the end of last year, the Central Bank of Barbados issued a new banknote series, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of its foundation, which is only the second major redesign in its half-century history of issuing the national currency (the 2013 series being the first). The whole series was converted to polymer, designed and manufactured by De La Rue on SAFEGUARD®, underpinned by a design philosophy that ensures they are ‘Bajan to the bone’, and supported by a public outreach campaign that sets a new bar for how central banks communicate with the public.

Barbados is the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands, and has a population of around 287,000 and a landmass of 432 km2, making it one of the world’s most densely populated isles. A former British colony, it became an independent state with the late Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state in 1966. In 2021, it transitioned to a republic within the Commonwealth with an elected president.