Description and research notes
This twenty five dollars specimen of the Cayman Islands Currency Board belongs to the 1996 revised series issued under the Cayman Islands Currency Law (Revised) and printed by Thomas De La Rue and Company Limited as controlled reference material. It preserves the fully authorized production design while being permanently invalidated for non-monetary use through established printer control measures.
The specimen format is defined by a bold red diagonal SPECIMEN overprint across the face, accompanied by two red oval control stamps reading “SPECIMEN / DE LA RUE & CO LTD / NO VALUE.” A single punch cancellation is present in the signature area, physically voiding the note while leaving the engraved composition entirely legible.
At the lower margin, the printed tracking panel reads “SPECIMEN No. 001,” identifying this note as the first numbered specimen for the 1996 twenty five dollars denomination. The serial format follows the specimen convention with prefix B/1 and serial number 000000, which is separate from the printed specimen number and reserved exclusively for non-circulating reference material.
The obverse bears the engraved signature of G. A. McCarthy, serving as Chairman of the Cayman Islands Currency Board during the 1996 administrative phase. The portrait of Queen Elizabeth the Second appears at right within refined intaglio engraving, balanced by marine motifs and the Cayman Islands coat of arms integrated into the denomination panel. The reverse continues the maritime theme with a coastal scene framed by structured ornamental borders, reflecting De La Rue’s late twentieth century security engraving standards for British Overseas Territory issues.
As a specimen, this note functions as controlled archival material rather than currency. It records the finalized twenty five dollars design of the 1996 Cayman series together with the precise invalidation and internal control tools applied by Thomas De La Rue to distinguish specimen impressions from live monetary production.