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 1985 printing. It was produced as a presentation and institutional reference specimen and was never intended for public circulation.
The defining feature of this example is a single bold red diagonal SPECIMEN overprint applied across the face of the note. This classic overprint format represents the standard presentation specimen style used by Thomas De La Rue for controlled reference purposes. No additional invalidation devices are present: there are no oval NO VALUE stamps, no perforations, and no punch cancellations. The absence of secondary control measures distinguishes this specimen from later and more heavily controlled specimen formats.
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 the central panel appears the engraved signature of A. Jefferson, 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, reserved exclusively for specimen handling and never used on circulating notes.
Small handwritten printer’s annotations are present at the upper margin of the note, applied during production or internal handling at Thomas De La Rue. These markings are subtle but intentional and represent routine printer-side notation rather than later defacement, further confirming the specimen’s role as controlled reference material retained outside circulation channels.
The reverse continues the series’ marine-themed design language, featuring a reef vignette composed of coral formations and a prominent fish. Extensive organic linework provides both aesthetic depth and practical anti-counterfeiting complexity, mirroring the issued series while remaining clearly segregated as non-monetary through overprint and serial control alone.
Certified PMG 65 Exceptional Paper Quality, this specimen preserves strong paper integrity and crisp printing. Its significance lies in documenting the baseline De La Rue presentation specimen format used for Cayman Islands Currency Board notes during the Jefferson-signed phase of the one dollar series, prior to the application of additional control stamps or terminal perforated invalidation methods.