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Barbados $2 Dollar Bill
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Introduced by the Central Bank of Barbados (CBB) in 1980, $2 notes are the lowest denomination of printed Barbadian currency.
$1 notes were last printed in 1973. The red $1 notes featured the image of Samuel Jackman Prescod and are now defunct.
The front of the $2 bill carries the image of a flying fish, the Coat of Arms, a watermark depicting a map of Barbados and the signature of the Governor in office at time of printing. The reverse features a vignette of the historic Parliament buildings and Careenage.
Generally, Barbadian notes differ only in colour, the image displayed in the see-thorough feature and the portrait appearing on the face of the bill.
Blue in colour with red elements, $2 notes carry the image of John Redman Bovell. The sea-through feature displays the Morgan Lewis Windmill. Newer $2 notes include an electrotype bearing a broken trident.
Flying Fish
Barbados is known as the "Land of the Flying Fish". The flying fish is Barbados' official national fish. It appears on Barbadian currency, the national Coat of Arms and the Barbados Tourism Authority logo. Look for the flying fish in local art, statues, fountains and monuments.
Barbados Coat of Arms
The Barbados Coat of Arms was presented to the President of the Senate by her Majesty the Queen during a Royal Visit to the island on 14 February 1966. This was the same year Barbados gained Independence from Britain. Designed by Neville C. Connell, the Coat of Arms is a symbol of strength, pride and integrity.
Broken Trident
Like the $5 and $10 notes, $2 notes carry a watermark bearing the image of a broken trident. The symbol is a carry-over from the Seal of the Colony. With independence, the seal was replaced by the national Coat of Arms. On Barbadian notes and the Coat of Arms, Neptune's broken trident symbolizes Barbados' break from Britain's colonial rule.
John Redman Bovell
Featured on the face of the $2 bill, is John Redman Bovell. Bovell's industriousness, innovation and personal commitment to agriculture were unparalleled. An internationally renowned scientist and agronomist, Bovell almost single-handedly transformed the Caribbean sugar cane industry.
The 1880s was a challenging time for the Caribbean sugar industry. The introduction of sugar beet to European markets drove down prices while drought conditions and disease exacerbated the situation for Caribbean sugar cane producers.
With the majority of Barbados' arable land dedicated to sugar cane cultivation, the island's economy was faltering. Bovell used his own money to fund research on cane varieties. He also developed several strains of Barbados' famous Sea Island Cotton.
Bovell's work boosted agriculture production thus helping sustain the island's economy. He was appointed Agricultural Superintendent of sugar cane experiments and awarded the Imperial Service Star (1908) for his contribution to tropical agriculture.
Morgan Lewis Windmill
Located in St. Andrew, the Morgan Lewis Windmill is one of the "Seven Wonders of Barbados". Built in 1727, the mill was used to grind sugar cane until 1945. One of only two fully restored wind-driven sugar mills in the Caribbean, the structure was donated to the Barbados National Trust (BNT) in 1962. The mill is currently under renovation and closed to the public.
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