Catalog
1 Dollar - George VI Blue
| Issuer | Government of British Honduras |
|---|---|
| Year | 1939-1942 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Dollar (1 BZD) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Blue and yellow intaglio print with red serial numbers. A front-facing portrait bust of King George VI occupies the right portion of the note, while the Coat of Arms of British Honduras is positioned at left. The design is framed with fine guilloche work and carries the issuing authority's legends across the upper and lower registers. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Printed in blue with a multicolour underprint, the reverse is dominated by an elaborate guilloche pattern of interlacing scalloped and floral lacework panels arranged symmetrically across the entire face. A central cartouche framed by dense rosette and scroll ornaments carries the issuing authority's inscription, with two large circular guilloche medallions flanking it on either side. |
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| Comments |
British Honduras issued this note under wartime conditions, and the George VI blue series falls within a period when colonial currency management became logistically complicated — shipping printed notes across the Atlantic during active U-boat campaigns was a genuine operational concern, not a bureaucratic footnote. Bradbury Wilkinson's plant in New Malden continued producing colonial issues throughout the war, though delivery schedules were unpredictable.
The P#20 series spans four years, and notes dated toward the end of the range are considerably scarcer than earlier issues, likely reflecting reduced print runs as the colony's wartime economy contracted around the timber and chicle trades.