50 Dollars 2015, Trinidad and Tobago
| in Krause book | Number: 56 |
| Years of issue: | 30.11.2015 |
| Edition: | |
| Signatures: | Governor: Mr. Jwala Rambarran |
| Serie: | Central Bank Act Chap.79.02 |
| Specimen of: | 2014 |
| Material: | Polymer |
| Size (mm): | 152 x 70 |
| Printer: | De la Rue currency,Gateshead |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
The red-capped cardinal (Paroaria gularis) in plastic window.
Avers:
On right side is red-capped cardinal (Paroaria gularis) landing.
The red-capped cardinal (Paroaria gularis) is a small South American bird. It belongs to Paroaria, a genus of red-headed cardinal-tanagers.
The adult red-capped cardinal is 16.5 cm. (6.5 in.) long and weighs about 22 g. (0.78 oz.). The nominate subspecies has a crimson head, blackish lores and ocular region, and shiny black upperparts, apart from a white partial collar extending up the neck sides from the white underparts. The throat is black, extending to a point on the upper chest. The upper mandible is black, while the lower is pale flesh-coloured. The legs are dark grey (almost black) and the iris is brownish-orange. In pattern the juvenile resemble the adults, but the upperparts are dusky-brown, the head is deep brownish-buff (darker on the cap), the bill is entirely black and the iris is pale, dull creamy-yellow.
The song is a variable, often repeated series of suweet-chu notes, and the call is a sharp chep. 
On left side is the coat of arms of Trinidad and Tobago.
The coat of arms of Trinidad and Tobago was designed by a committee formed in 1962 to select the symbols that would be representative of the people of Trinidad and Tobago. The committee included noted artist Carlisle Chang and the late designer George Bailey.
The palm tree crest at the top of the coat of arms was taken from Tobago’s coat of arms before it was joined in political union with Trinidad. The wreath represents the crown of the monarchy of the United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago’s colonizers at the time of independence. The shield has the same colours (black, red, and white) as the nation’s flag and they carry the same meaning. The gold ships represent the Santa María, La Niña, and La Pinta: the three ships Christopher Columbus used on his journey to the “New World”. The two birds on the shield are hummingbirds. Trinidad is sometimes referred to as the “Land of the Hummingbird” because more than sixteen different species of hummingbird have been recorded on the island.
“Land of the Hummingbird” is also believed to have been the Native American name for Trinidad. The two larger birds are the Scarlet Ibis (left) and the Cocrico (right), the national birds of Trinidad and Tobago. Below the Scarlet Ibis are three hills, representing the Trinity Hills in southern Trinidad, which, it is believed, convinced Columbus to name the island after the Holy Trinity. The island rising out of the waters beneath the Cocrico represents Tobago. Below these birds is the nation’s motto, "Together We Aspire, Together We Achieve".
Centered (and nearby also from gold foil) is flower of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, known colloquially as rose mallow, Chinese hibiscus, China rose and shoe flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae, native to East Asia.
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis was named in 1753, by Carl Linnaeus, in his "Species Plantarum". The Latin term rosa-sinensis literally means "rose of China", though it is not closely related to the true roses.
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is a bushy, evergreen shrub or small tree growing 2.5-5 m. (8-16 ft.) tall and 1.5-3 m. (5-10 ft.) wide, with glossy leaves and solitary, brilliant red flowers in summer and autumn. The 5-petaled flowers are 10 cm (4 in) in diameter, with prominent orange-tipped red anthers.
Denominations in numerals are in three corners, in words at the bottom.
Revers:
Centered are the buildings of Central Bank Trinidad and Tobago.
Eric Williams Plaza, also known as the Eric Williams Financial Complex, located on Independence Square, Port of Spain, is the tallest building in Trinidad and Tobago, as well as in the English-speaking Caribbean. It consists of a pair of skyscrapers 22 stories high and 302 ft. (92 m.) tall, locally known as the "Twin Towers". Construction on the complex started in 1979 and ended in 1986. The complex was officially opened on March 29, 1986. The architect who managed the construction was Anthony C. Lewis Partnership.
The Eric Williams Plaza was named after Eric Williams, the first prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago. The first tower houses the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago while the second tower houses the Ministry of Finance. The first tower's official name is Eric Williams Financial Tower and the second tower's official name is the Central Bank Tower. The building surrounding the towers is the old Central Bank. The old Central Bank building has gold and currency vaults, administrative areas, an auditorium and a concert hall. It is one of the finest facilities in the country. It is also part of the complex. Both towers contain building security, communications, and life-safety systems.
The towers have an earthquake resistant design. The cross braces and core walls in both towers are designed to take earthquake forces with the former taking 15% of the forces and the latter taking 85%. Additionally, great care was taken in the detailing of the reinforcement. The thickness of the basement under each tower is 25'. The pile cap under each tower is a cellular raft which is a combination of 9' × 6' beams and an 18" slab. Water storage for the complex is located in the basements of the towers.
The building is located on the Brian Lara Promenade, Independence Square (formerly Marine Square) in downtown Port of Spain. It was the tallest building in Trinidad and Tobago until the Nicholas Tower was constructed by businessman Issa Nicholas.
From 1993 to January of 1999, the office of the Prime Minister was housed here; in 1999 it was returned to the Whitehall.
On right side is the girl in Carnival costume.
Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago is one of grandeur, colour, revelry, rhythm, and gaiety. Evolving over the past two centuries from an elegant, exclusive affair to a truly all-inclusive national festival, it is by far the most spectacular event on the nation’s calendar. Although a major part of the Trinidad Carnival mystique lies in its unique ability to bring people of diverse backgrounds together in harmonious circumstances, the festival was not born to such noble pursuits.
From the inception of street parades in 1839 and for more than 100 years thereafter, the celebration flowed in two distinctly different social streams – upper and lower classes. For the most part, the upper classes held their masked balls in the great houses of sugar estates during the 19th century Carnivals, then mobilized the mas (but maintained their distance), by using the trays of lorries as their stage until well into the 1950s.
In order to fully understand the development of this festival, it is necessary to examine the complex historical, social, cultural and political contexts which gave birth to this national celebration.
In 1498, Christopher Columbus landed in Trinidad and, as was the practice in the so called age of Discovery and Exploration, took possession of the island in the name of the King and Queen of Spain. The island did not have the promise of immense wealth like the other countries in Spain’s Western empire. Trinidad was, therefore, largely ignored for over two hundred and fifty years.
In 1776, out of concern for this state of affairs, the Spanish king issued a Cedula of Population, which opened the island to colonization by the French. A second Cedula followed in 1783. This saw an even larger influx of planters from the French West Indian islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe and Saint Dominigue. Arriving also were Free Coloureds and Africans. The French brought with them their cultural traditions, language, dress, food and customs.
In 1797, Trinidad was captured by the British and was made a crown colony of Great Britain. The British immediately began the process of colonization as they had in Barbados and Jamaica two centuries before.
In this era, the period between Christmas and Lent was marked by great merrymaking and feasting by both the French and English. Historians of the nineteenth century wrote about the balls, fetes champetres (country style parties) and house to house visiting engaged in by the white upper class. It was also the custom of the British to impose martial law during the Christmas season. Military exercises were performed at the start of this martial law.
The Carnival celebrations between 1783 and 1838 were dominated by the white elite. Africans and coloureds (persons of mixed race) were forbidden by law to participate in street festivities. This is not to say that they did not celebrate in their own way in their compounds.
During this period also, there were numerous balls, parties and other entertainment. This gave the Africans some measure of freedom to enjoy themselves and engage in merry making. These festivities, along with the pomp and ceremony involved in imposing martial law, provided the Africans with ideas for some of the earliest masquerades for Carnival.
The pre-emancipation Carnival saw whites costume themselves as Negues Jadin (Negres Jardin – French for Garden Negroes) and mulatresses. They also reenacted the Cannes Brulées (French for Burning Canes): the practice of rounding up slaves to put out fires in the cane field. With the emancipation of the slaves in 1838, however, the door was opened for the full participation of the Africans in the Carnival. (NALIS (National Library & Information System Authority))
On left side is the blue-crowned motmot (Momotus momota) landing.
Denominations in numerals are in lower left and top right corners, in words at the top.
Comments:
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