by Charles Gladden
BELIZE CITY, Wed. July 9, 2025
The redesigned and highly anticipated Belize currency notes will be officially launched countrywide on Monday, August 4.
The notes will display the iconic face of George Cadle Price, the Father of the Nation, on the $100, $20, and $5 bills, and that of national hero, Philip Goldson on the $50, $10, and $2 bills—replacing the image of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who was the face of the bills from decades before Belize’s independence. (Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation was in 1953.)
After the Queen’s passing in September 2022, the Commonwealth territories were presented with two possibilities: to update the image on their banknotes to that of her successor, King Charles III, or choose to place their national symbols or heroes on those notes. Belize chose the latter.
In January of this year, the redesigned notes were presented to the public, which was informed of their unique security features that make them impossible to counterfeit, and of an initial release date in June.
“While the initial target for circulation was mid-year, the timeline was adjusted to facilitate ATM configuration, shipping, and distribution logistics,” said Kareem Michael, Governor of the Central Bank of Belize.
After the August 4 release date, it is expected that the current notes will be out of circulation within two or three years.
“The existing banknotes will remain legal tender. However, the Central Bank strongly encourages the public to deposit them at their financial institutions, so that they can be phased out of circulation. We anticipate that most of the existing banknotes will be out of circulation in two to three years,” Michael said.
“The introduction of this new family of banknotes incorporates enhanced security features and marks a significant step in Belize’s currency’s evolution. Currency is a core part of the Central Bank’s mandate. We encourage the public to get familiar with the new designs, understand the security features, and celebrate this milestone in our country’s currency history,” Michael added.
As for the coins, Michael mentioned that the Central Bank is exploring options to update and enhance the appearance of Belize’s coins to keep up with global standards.
According to Michael, the change of the banknotes will not affect their current value, as it will remain the same: BZ$2.00 to US$1.00.
De La Rue International Ltd. produced the notes.