Belize: national heroes oust UK monarch on new banknotes

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Banknote round-up: Belize may replace UK monarch's image.

Belize: The Belizean government has begun talks with the central bank to replace Queen Elizabeth II on some banknotes. Prime minister John Briceño said the government would issue new notes featuring notable Belizean politicians from October and November. But in comments to newspaper Amandala, Kareem Michael, the central bank governor, said there was no set launch date. "October is not the launch date. There is considerable planning that must take place prior," Michael said.

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The CBB governor explictly confirmed in a news conference on 27 November 2024 that the monarch would be removed from the banknotes. The designs will be unveiled in January 2025. No word of new coins, yet.

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The coins will surely be next. I'm hoping for a full set of thematic designs.

See:  Belize and the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

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BELIZE



Belize: new banknotes.

Images © Central Bank of Belize.

The new banknotes are here.

The UK monarch has been replaced by Belizean national heroes.

See:  2025 Issue.

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Belize: new banknotes.

Images © Central Bank of Belize.

I have edited the images for greater clarity.

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DESCRIPTIONS

The new $2 banknote features waterfalls and rivers of Belize imagery, along with the portrait of the Hon. Philip Goldson, national hero of Belize.

Waterfalls and rivers of Belize imagery featured on the $2 note:

Antelope Waterfall, Mayflower Bocawina National Park, featured as the front center image
Black Orchid (Prosthechea Cochleata), featured on the PureImage Thread
Sapodilla Waterfall, Elijio Panti National Park, featured as the back left image
1000 Foot Falls featured as the back center image

The new $5 banknote features historical buildings of Belize imagery, along with the portrait of the Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price, national hero of Belize.

Historical buildings of Belize imagery featured on the $5 note:

National Assembly Building, featured as the front center image
Top of the Belize City Supreme Court, featured on the PureImage Thread
Belize City Peninsula and Haulover Creek, featured as the back upper image
Supreme Court Building, Belize City, featured as the back center image
St. John's Cathedral, Belize City, featured as the back right image

The new $10 banknote features birds of Belize imagery, along with portrait of the Hon. Philip Goldson, national hero of Belize.

Birds of Belize featured on the $10 note:

Green Heron (Butorides Virescens), featured as the front center image
Scarlet Macaw, featured on the holographic foil strip
Keel-Billed Toucan, national bird of Belize, featured on the back security thread and the back left image
Long-Billed Hermit Hummingbird, featured as the back center image
Scaly-Breasted Hummingbird, featured as the back right image

The new $20 banknote features Belize's jungle life imagery, along with portrait of the Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price, national hero of Belize.

The jungle life imagery includes:

Baird's Tapir, national animal of Belize, featured as the front center image
Blue Morpho Butterfly, featured on the holographic foil stripe
Jaguar (Panthera onca), featured as the back center image
Green Iguana, featured as the back right image

The new $50 banknote features archaeological attractions of Belize imagery, along with portrait of the Hon. Philip Goldson, national hero of Belize.

Archaeological attractions featured on the $50 note:

Mask Temple, Lamanai, featured on the holographic foil stripe and the front center image
Top of Caana, Caracol, featured as the back left image
Xunantunich Maya Ruin, featured as the back center image
Segment of the Xunantunich East Freize, featured as the back right image

The new $100 banknote features marine attractions and aquatic life of Belize imagery, along with portrait of the Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price, national hero of Belize.

Marine attractions and aquatic life imagery featured on the $100 note:

Queen Triggerfish (Balistes Vetula), featured as the front center image
Hawksbill Sea Turtle, featured on the holographic foil stripe and as the back left image
Great Blue Hole, featured as the back background image
Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma Cirratum) featured as the back right image
Pair of French Angelfish, featured as the back lower right image
Grooved Brain Coral (Diploria Labyrinthiformis), featured as the back lower left image
Longsnout/Slender Seahorse, featured on the back security thread

Text © Central Bank of Belize.

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From Wikipedia:

Belize has an area of 22,970 square kilometres (8,867 sq mi) and a population of 397,483 (2022). Its mainland is about 290 km (180 mi) long and 110 km (68 mi) wide. It is the least populated and least densely populated country in Central America.

Belize is a small country with a small population. It is disappointing that it could only find two national heroes for its six new banknotes.

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From the Central Bank of Belize website:

Frequently Asked Questions - New Currency

Q: Why weren't other national figures selected for the banknotes?

A: The new banknotes honour individuals who have been bestowed with Belize's "Order of the National Hero."
As of January 2025, only two persons have received this honour: the Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price and the Hon. Philip Stanley Wilberforce Goldson.