100 Dollars Sailing Ships

Antigua and Barbuda gained independence from Britain on 1 November 1981, and this note was issued to mark exactly that — a commemorative piece rather than a circulating banknote, with no role in everyday commerce. The Eastern Caribbean Dollar remained the practical currency throughout.

The .999 fine silver substrate with 23K gold foil overlay was a production technique gaining traction among small-island commemorative issuers in the early 1980s, often contracted through specialist manufacturers rather than traditional security printers. Alan D'Estrehan's involvement suggests a regional design commission, though documentation on the actual production facility for this specific issue is limited.