1 GYD #239

Front

Kaieteur Falls, one of the world's most powerful waterfalls located on the Potaro River in Kaieteur National Park, Guyana. With a single drop of 226 meters (741 feet), it is approximately five times higher than Niagara Falls and about twice the height of Victoria Falls. The falls were named after Kai, a Patamona chief who according to legend sacrificed himself by paddling over the falls in an act to save his people. The coat of arms of Guyana appears at center, featuring supporters (a jaguar and a harpy eagle), rice and sugarcane symbols, and the national motto.

Back

Black Bush Polder and rice harvesting scenes, representing Guyana's agricultural economy. Black Bush Polder is a major rice-growing area in the Corentyne region of East Berbice-Corentyne, developed as part of post-independence agricultural expansion. The left vignette shows the polder's water management infrastructure (sluice gates and channels essential for rice cultivation), while the right depicts mechanical rice harvesting with combine harvesters in the fields. Rice has been one of Guyana's principal export crops since the mid-20th century.

History

This note belongs to the first series of the Guyanese Dollar, introduced in 1966 when Guyana gained independence from Britain, replacing the British Guiana Dollar at par. The series featured the new nation's symbols and economic activities, emphasizing national pride and development. The $1 note prominently featured Kaieteur Falls as a symbol of national heritage and natural beauty, while the reverse highlighted the country's agricultural base, particularly rice cultivation in the coastal plains. This series was replaced in 1989–1992 with new designs. The printer, Thomas De La Rue, was the preeminent banknote printer for Commonwealth nations during this era.