An Island Upgrade

Fiji has unveiled a fully redesigned series of bank notes. The new issues, to be released starting on January 2, boast stronger security features and a full transition to polymer materials. 

“Cash strengthens the trust in our monetary system,” says Reserve Bank of Fiji Governor Ariff Ali. “These new polymer notes will ensure durability, security, and continued public confidence in our currency,” which is crucial, as cash remains the most widely used form of payment in Fiji. The notes’ enhanced security elements will combat evolving counterfeiting risks, and the polymer material will extend the life of the notes, reduce replacement costs, and withstand daily wear far better than paper-based versions. 

The updated designs highlight Fiji’s culture and environment. The $5 features the endangered Vonu Dina (aka the green sea turtle). The $10 shows children planting mangroves, symbolizing climate resilience. The $20 depicts the Reserve Bank of Fiji building. The $50 honors Indo-Fijian history with a scene of a girmit woman (an indentured servant from British-ruled India) and the ship Leonidas, which brought the first indentured servants to the island in 1879. The $100 showcases an iTaukei man holding a bilo of kava—a cup filled with an herbal remedy made from a tropical pepper plant.

Fiji President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu says, “This new bank note series is a tangible symbol of our sovereignty and economic resilience, reflecting our nation’s strength, heritage, and progress.”