Currency Timeline

1509 Spaniards settle Jamaica and introduced copper maravedis
1655 British captured Jamaica from the Spaniards but Spanish coins continued to circulate
1822 First British coins to be used in Jamaica in denominations of ¼, 1/8, 1/16 dollar. Came to be known as 'anchor money' because of the design.

1825    British silver and copper coins introduced in general circulation
1834  British silver 3d and 11/2d coins introduced into Jamaica
1836 First commercial bank, the Bank of Jamaica established
1837  Colonial Bank, incorporated in England in 1836, begin operations in Jamaica
1839  Planters Bank established and issues bank notes
1840 British currency legal tender of Jamaica
1848 Planters Bank terminated its operations
1864 London and Colonial Bank began operating in Jamaica
1864 Bank of Jamaica ceased operations
1865 London and Colonial Bank closed
1869 First Jamaican coins issued in denominations of penny (1d) and half-penny (1/2d)
1880 First Jamaican farthing issued
1889 Branch of Bank of Nova Scotia Ltd established in Jamaica
1900 Bank of Nova Scotia issues bank notes in denominations of £1 and £5 pounds
1911 Royal Bank of Canada begins operating in Jamaica
1920 First Government of Jamaica bank notes issued in denominations of 2/6,5/- and 10/-
1922 2/6 note withdrawn from circulation
1925 Colonial Bank incorporated with Barclays Bank
1926 Barclays Bank incorporated with the Anglo-Egyptian Bank and the National Bank of South  Africa. Group known as Barclays Bank, Dominion, Colonial and Overseas (DCO) Notes issued in name of Barclays Bank D.C.O.
1939 Currency Board established
1940 Government of Jamaica issues £1 and £5 notes
1954 Private commercial banks prohibited from issuing bank notes
1958 Commercial bank notes demonetized
1960  Bank of Jamaica (central bank) established.
1961 Bank of Jamaica began operations. Notes issued in denominations of 5/-, 10/- 1 and £5
1962 Jamaica gained independence from Great Britain. No change in notes and coins in
circulation.
1969 Jamaica changed to a decimal system of currency (8 September) using dollars and cents Coins issued in denominations of 1c, 5c, 10c , 20c, 25c, Notes issued in denominations of 50c, $1, $2and $10
1970 $5 note introduced
1970 Metallic content of 1c changed from copper to bronze
1975 New aluminium 1c coins introduced
1976 50c note replaced by a coin and $20 note introduced
1978 New $10 and $20 introduced. Old notes demonetized
1985 Size of notes standardized and blind feature introduced
1986 $100 note introduced
1988 $50 note introduced
1990  $1 note replaced by a coin
1991 New 25c and 10c coins introduced
1993 Metallic content of $1 coin changed from nickel-brass to brass-plated steel
1994 $500 note introduced
1995 New $1, 25c and 10c coins introduced
1997 Old coins (5c, 10c, 20c, 25c, 50c and $1) demonetized
1999 $10 note replaced by a coin
2000 $1 000 note introduced and $20 note replaced by coin
2009 $5000 note introduced

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