ECCB’s $2 commemorative banknote wins Bank Note of the Year award

In a significant development, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank has proudly received two global awards for its 40th anniversary $2 commemorative banknote.

It was launched in Antigua and Barbuda back in December 2023 due to which the ECCB won the 2023 ‘Bank Note’ of the Year award and the Best Limited Circulation/Commemorative Banknote.

These awards are facilitated by the International Bank Note Society and the International Association of Currency Affairs.

According to the reports, the International Bank Note Society chose the ECCB’s $2 commemorative note as the Bank Note of the Year from among the 100 newly designed and widely circulated notes released last year.

Banknotes from 15 nations representing three continents (Asia, Africa and South America), five island countries and the Middle East were nominate for this prestigious award.

According to the IBNS authorities, the EC$2 commemorative note was the overwhelming favourite since the beginning of voting.

Also, the International Association of Currency Affairs named the ECCB’s $2 commemorative note its Best Limited Circulation Commemorative Banknote. Notably, two other banknotes were chosen as finalists in this category, but the ECCB finally grabbed the victory.

Following the victory, the Governor of the ECCB, Timothy N J Antonie, while speaking during the weekly video programme of the bank said that these two prestigious awards encourage the staff and the management of the ECCB to work even harder and serve the people of the currency union.

He further said that the $2 commemorative note was the very first of its kind that the central bank issues without the British Monarch’s photo.

The ECCB produced and designed the note in partnership with the currency partner, De La Rue. The banknote features the latest currency security as well as innovation and celebrates the Caribbean region’s rich heritage.

It also has an image of the legendary  former West Indies cricket player Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, also known in the cricket world as ‘The Master Blaster’.