ECCB unveils redesigned EC banknotes honoring regional heroes

The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank has revealed new EC banknote designs that replace Queen Elizabeth II’s likeness with national heroes, regional leaders and a new ECCU logo. The rollout puts eight member countries’ heritage front and center and signals a broader push to reflect local identity in the currency.

Why it matters: - The redesigned EC banknotes shift the region’s currency from a colonial-era image to local figures and symbols tied to the eight ECCU member countries. - The new design is meant to reflect public input and reinforce a shared Eastern Caribbean identity. - The changes also extend to EC coins, which will replace Queen Elizabeth II’s likeness with the ECCU logo.

What happened: - Governor Timothy N.J. Antoine and members of the ECCB Monetary Council unveiled the new banknote designs on Thursday, 9 July, in the Commonwealth of Dominica. - The announcement came during the Ceremony to Mark the Change in Chairmanship of the ECCB Monetary Council. - The banknotes no longer feature the likeness of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The details: - The $100 banknote features Sir William Arthur Lewis and The Right Honourable Sir John George Melvin Compton of Saint Lucia. - The $50 banknote features former ECCB Governor Sir K. Dwight Venner and The Right Excellent Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw of Saint Christopher and Nevis. - The $20 banknote features The Right Honourable Sir Vere Cornwall Bird Snr of Antigua and Barbuda and The Honourable Dame Mary Eugenia Charles of the Commonwealth of Dominica. - The $10 banknote features The Most Excellent William Henry Bramble of Montserrat and The Honourable James Ronald Webster of Anguilla. - The $5 banknote features The Right Honourable Robert Milton Cato of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Sir Kirani James, LLD (Hons), of Grenada. - The new series includes the ECCB logo encircled by the flags of the ECCU for the first time. - Sir K. Dwight Venner’s likeness now appears on the front of the $50 banknote instead of the back. - Sir William Arthur Lewis has moved from the back of the $100 banknote to the front. - EC coins will also be redesigned, with the ECCU logo replacing Queen Elizabeth II on the front.

Between the lines: - The redesign follows a public call for currency that honors “our own heroes, nation builders, and persons whose lives and achievements have enriched our countries and strengthened our region,” as Antoine put it. - The selection process asked each member country to nominate someone whose life and legacy reflect service, leadership, scholarship and excellence. - The new currency design makes the ECCU’s political and cultural identity more visible across daily transactions.

What's next: - The ECCB has not given a public date for circulation of the new notes and coins in the release. - The redesign points to a phased transition as the region updates both banknotes and coins.

The bottom line: - The ECCB is rebranding the Eastern Caribbean’s currency around regional pride, local achievement and a more distinctly Caribbean visual identity.