Description and research notes
This specimen note represents the one dollar denomination prepared for the Cayman Islands Currency Board under the Cayman Islands Currency Law of 1974 and was printed by Thomas De La Rue and Company Limited, with the PMG label attributing the production to a not dated 1981 printing. It was produced as a presentation and reference specimen and was never intended for public circulation, reflecting an earlier administrative phase within the Currency Board’s handling of the 1974 series.
The defining invalidation on this example is a single bold red diagonal SPECIMEN overprint applied across the face of the note. This classic specimen format represents the standard presentation form used by Thomas De La Rue for institutional reference and controlled distribution. No additional invalidation devices are present: there are no oval NO VALUE stamps, no perforations, and no punch cancellations. The absence of secondary control marks distinguishes this example from later or more heavily invalidated specimen forms.
The obverse preserves the complete finalized production design of the issued one dollar note. An engraved portrait of Queen Elizabeth the Second occupies the right side within a dense field of fine-line security engraving, while the central denomination panel incorporates the Cayman Islands coat of arms and the inscription One Dollar. Beneath this panel appears the engraved signature of V. G. Johnson, serving as Chairman of the Cayman Islands Currency Board at the time this specimen was prepared. The serial format consists of an all-zero number sequence with prefix A/3, a configuration reserved exclusively for specimen handling and never used on circulating notes.
The reverse continues the series’ marine-themed design language, featuring a detailed reef vignette composed of coral formations and a prominent fish. Extensive organic linework provides both aesthetic depth and practical anti-counterfeiting complexity, mirroring the design intent of the issued series while remaining clearly segregated as non-monetary through the red overprint and serial control.
Certified PMG 65 Exceptional Paper Quality, this specimen preserves strong paper integrity and crisp printing. Its significance lies in documenting the classic De La Rue specimen presentation format used for Cayman Islands Currency Board notes during the Johnson-signed phase of the 1974 one dollar series, prior to the adoption of later specimen control and archival invalidation methods.