For decades, every transaction across Belize carried a subtle reminder of the nation’s colonial past: coins minted with the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. That long-standing chapter is set to close Thursday, as the Central Bank of Belize introduces a groundbreaking new series of circulating coins that center the small Central American nation’s own unique identity, heritage and natural beauty.
Marking the first full overhaul of Belize’s coinage since the Central Bank was founded in 1982, the new collection — branded under the theme “Belize in Every Coin” — replaces the former royal imagery with iconic national symbols that tell the story of the country. The rollout comes exactly one year after the bank launched a new series of banknotes featuring Belize’s national heroes, completing the transition to a fully indigenous currency design.
Emmanuel Pech, assistant manager of the Central Bank’s Office of Strategy Management, explained that the new series turns every everyday exchange into a small celebration of national pride. “Once it enters into circulation tomorrow, people once they start transacting with these coins, they will literally have a piece of Belize, a piece of our history and heritage in every coin they use,” Pech shared in an on-the-ground report for local outlet News Five.
Each denomination in the new series features a distinct emblem of Belize: the national map, the official coat of arms, the mahogany tree (a historic symbol of the country’s logging industry), the national bird the keel-billed toucan, the national mammal the Baird’s tapir, and the national flower the black orchid. Beyond the symbolic shift, the new coinage also brings practical and economic improvements, Delroy Rhaburn, assistant manager of currency management at the Central Bank, noted.
The mint has switched from the old metal composition to nickel-plated steel and bronze-plated steel, materials widely used by mints across the region that match the durability of older coins while cutting production costs. “We wanted something that would have complemented the notes we put out last year, something that would be more Belizean. So we decided to go with the National symbols and that is one of the reason that we chose the theme, “Belize in Every Coin”, because these are the national symbols of Belize and you now see them in every denomination,” Rhaburn explained.
A common question from Belizean residents ahead of the rollout has been what will happen to the existing Queen Elizabeth II-bearing coins already in circulation. Rhaburn moved to clear up any uncertainty, confirming that the older coinage will remain legal tender indefinitely. “When people see us doing changes like this, they feel like the old money will go away. That is not the case. The old money is still legal tender. You don’t see them as often as you use to. But if you have them you can still spend them. You don’t need to turn them in,” he said.
Beyond circulating currency, the launch has been designed to appeal to coin collectors around the world. To commemorate the historic rollout, the Central Bank is issuing a limited-edition painted 50-cent collector’s coin highlighting the mahogany tree. Capped at a total mintage of just 100,000 pieces, the special commemorative is only available for purchase directly through the Central Bank, either as an individual piece or as part of a complete full-set collection. Unlike circulating coins, the commemorative edition is not intended for everyday transactions and is produced solely for collecting.
Starting September 18, the new National Symbols Coin Series will begin distribution to commercial banks, credit unions and businesses across Belize, gradually entering the hands of residents through regular daily transactions, reporter Paul Lopez noted in his report for News Five.