ECCB unveils redesigned EC banknotes honoring regional heroes

The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank has introduced new EC banknote designs that replace Queen Elizabeth II with regional icons and national heroes from the eight ECCU member countries. The redesign, unveiled in Dominica on July 9, also adds the ECCB logo surrounded by ECCU flags to the new series.

Why it matters: - The redesign puts the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union’s own history, leaders and achievements at the center of the region’s money. - The change removes the likeness of the late Queen Elizabeth II from the banknotes and coins. - The new designs also strengthen shared regional identity across the eight ECCU member countries.

What happened: - Governor Timothy N.J. Antoine and members of the Monetary Council unveiled the new EC banknote designs on Thursday, July 9, in the Commonwealth of Dominica. - The reveal took place during the Ceremony to Mark the Change in Chairmanship of the ECCB Monetary Council. - The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank said the redesign reflects the people, heritage and achievements of the ECCU.

The details: - The $100 note features Sir William Arthur Lewis, winner of the 1979 Nobel Prize for Economics, and The Right Honourable Sir John George Melvin Compton of Saint Lucia. - The $50 note features former ECCB Governor The Honourable Sir K. Dwight Venner, who led the bank from 1989 to 2015, and The Right Excellent Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw of Saint Christopher and Nevis. - The $20 note 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 note features The Most Excellent William Henry Bramble of Montserrat and The Honourable James Ronald Webster of Anguilla. - The $5 note features The Right Honourable Robert Milton Cato of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Sir Kirani James, LLD (Hons), of Grenada. - The new banknote 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 note instead of the back. - Sir William Arthur Lewis has moved from the back of the $100 note to the front. - The redesign for EC coins replaces Queen Elizabeth II with the ECCU logo on the front.

Between the lines: - The Monetary Council invited the public to help shape the new currency, signaling a broader push to make the notes feel locally owned. - Antoine said the public response called for currency that honors “our own heroes, nation builders, and persons whose lives and achievements have enriched our countries and strengthened our region.” - The redesign also appears aimed at creating a more unified visual identity across the currency system by pairing national figures with regional symbols.

What's next: - The ECCB did not announce a rollout date in the release. - The new designs will likely replace the current EC notes and coins as they enter circulation. - The bank is expected to continue using the new regional branding across future currency issues.