ECCB unveils new EC banknotes honoring regional heroes

The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank has revealed redesigned EC banknotes that replace Queen Elizabeth II with national heroes, regional leaders and a new ECCB logo. The rollout, unveiled in Dominica on July 9, aims to reflect the history and identity of all eight ECCU member states.

Why it matters: - The new banknote series shifts Eastern Caribbean currency away from colonial imagery and toward figures tied to the region’s own history, leadership and scholarship. - The redesign is meant to reinforce a shared ECCU identity across the eight member countries. - The change will also affect EC coins, extending the new branding beyond paper currency.

What happened: - Governor Timothy N.J. Antoine and members of the Monetary Council unveiled the new EC banknote designs on Thursday, July 9, in 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 ECCB said the Monetary Council invited the public to help shape the redesign because the currency belongs to the people of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union. - Each participating member country was invited to nominate an individual whose life and legacy reflect service, leadership, scholarship and excellence. - The $100 note now features Sir William Arthur Lewis, who won the 1979 Nobel Prize for Economics, and Sir John George Melvin Compton of Saint Lucia. - The $50 note features former ECCB Governor Sir K. Dwight Venner, who served from 1989 to 2015, and Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw of Saint Christopher and Nevis. - The $20 note features Sir Vere Cornwall Bird Snr of Antigua and Barbuda and Dame Mary Eugenia Charles of Dominica. - The $10 note features William Henry Bramble of Montserrat and James Ronald Webster of Anguilla. - The $5 note features Robert Milton Cato of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Sir Kirani James of Grenada. - The new series includes the ECCB logo encircled by the flags of the ECCU for the first time. - Sir K. Dwight Venner 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. - The redesign for EC coins will replace the likeness of Queen Elizabeth II on the front with the ECCU logo.

Between the lines: - The redesign appears aimed at turning everyday currency into a visible symbol of regional pride and political identity. - The selection of national heroes across multiple islands signals an effort to balance representation within the currency union.

What's next: - The ECCB has not outlined a public timeline for circulation, but the redesign suggests the new notes and coins are intended to become the standard EC currency. - The bank’s social channels and public communications will likely be used to roll out further details.

The bottom line: - The ECCB is using its currency to spotlight the region’s own icons and mark a clear break from the old portrait on EC money.