Curaçao and Sint Maarten Launches New Currency

Another country that issued a new family of banknotes and coins on 31 March was the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten. In this case, it wasn’t just a redesign and upgrade but a completely new currency, with the Caribbean guilder replacing the Netherlands Antilles guilder.

The change has been a long time coming, given that the Netherlands Antilles was effectively dissolved in 2010, with Curaçao and Sint Maarten becoming autonomous countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was then decided that the two countries would form a monetary union with a shared central bank and one currency – the Caribbean Guilder – but the old currency continued to circulate whilst stocks lasted.

The new series of coins is denominated in 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 cents, alongside a 1 and 5 guilder. The theme is ‘The World Under the Sea’ and, as with the banknotes, they have been designed with a distinctive Caribbean identity, celebrating the natural beauty, cultural heritage, and biodiversity of the two island nations. Intricate designs include depictions of iconic landmarks, coat of arms, King Willem-Alexander’s effigy, orange blossoms, and marine imagery (seashells, turtles, and ocean waves). The coins have similar but distinct designs for Curaçao and Sint Maarten, with both sets circulating interchangeably on each island.