In the year 1968 the House of Representatives collectively approved to change the Jamaican currency to decimal system. However, the changes would not be reflected until in 1969 and the units were now in dollars and cents. It was recommended that to enable a smooth transition the new coins would be the same weight and size as the pence, shillings and pounds that the public was comfortable using at the time.

However, the notes would have reflection of Jamaica characteristics and replace the Queen that was being portrayed on previous currencies. There was the recommendation to use the National Heroes and the motto for the new design on the notes; but the size and basic colors would remain unchanged. With the new decimal currency and the pride of an independent nation, this was a welcome opportunity to a complete the new Jamaica. The only coin in circulation that was still in use in the United Kingdom was the penny and ha’penny.

The designs of the coins now reflected Jamaica beautiful flora and fauna, the obverse of the coins now had the Jamaica Coat of Arms and the reverse have the national symbols. They were as follows, the one cent had the ackee which is the national fruit; the five cent had the crocodile; the ten cent had the national flower which is the lignum vitae; the twenty cent had the national tree which is the blue mahoe and the twenty-five cents had the national bird which is the humming bird.

In 1969, the notes were also released into circulation and as recommended the National Heroes should be depicted on them. The $2 had Paul Bogle, 50 cent had Marcus Garvey, the $1 had Sir Alexander Bustamante and the $10 had George William Gordon. In October of 1970 another note was introduced, which was the $5 with Norman Manley.

Many changes in the Jamaican currency have taken place over the years this it began in 1974 when the $20 was issued and the fifty cent note was replaced with a coin. The one cent which was changed from bronze to aluminum went into circulation in 1975 and the new $20 and fifty cent coin started circulating in 1976.

This series of change continued and in 1978 the $10 and $20 colors was changed to lighter shades and the old notes stop circulating. In the year 1986 the $100 note was introduced and two years later there was another addition as the $50 was introduced. In the year 1989 there was another review and the $1 was replaced with coin and the $2 note, fifty and twenty cent was abandoned.

It was not until September 1990 that the new $1 coin started circulating and one year later new ten cents with the portrait of Marcus Garvey and twenty-five cents with Paul Bogle were also released into circulation. However, the currency still had many twist and turns to make as in 1994 a new structure was approved again. This time the five cents was abandoned, the ten cent, twenty-five cent and the $1 was given new looks and a coin now replaced the $5 note.

As a result of this the new coins that were circulating was now one cent, ten cents, twenty-five cents and one and five dollar. The notes that remained were now the ten, twenty, fifty, one hundred and five hundred dollars.

With these entire changes one would think that this is it, but in 1999 there was another decision to replace the $10 note with coin. The year 2000 saw the introduction of the $1000 note released into circulation and in this same year the $20 note was changed to coin.

Today, the Jamaican currency denominations that are circulating as banknotes are the fifty, one hundred, five hundred and one thousand. They all have some similar features which include the watermark highlighting the national hummingbird, same size, date, serial number and the Governor for the Bank of Jamaica signature.

The front of all the notes has portraits of former Prime Ministers, National Heroes and the back has features depicting popular landmarks and local scene. There are even special symbols to help the persons who are visually impaired on the front of all the notes with the exception of the $1000 note.