10 Dollars 1971, Cayman Islands
in Krause book | Number: 3 |
Years of issue: | 1974 |
Edition: | 500 000 |
Signatures: | Chairman: Sir Vassel Godfrey Johnson (1971 - 1982) |
Serie: | 1971 Currency Law |
Specimen of: | 1971 |
Material: | Cotton fiber |
Size (mm): | 155 х 65 |
Printer: | TDLR (Thomas de la Rue & Company), London |
* 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 green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle, or Pacific green turtle, is a large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia. Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The common name comes from the usually green fat found beneath its carapace.
Avers:
HM The Queen Elizabeth II.
This portrait of Her Majesty is adapted from a photograph, taken prior to a Royal Tour of India and Pakistan by Anthony Buckley in October 1960, and it is one of the more widely used images of The Queen.(Peter Symes)
I found this image here "National Portrait Gallery". The portrait on banknote is, probably, taken from this photo session.
Her Majesty is shown wearing Queen Alexandra's Kokoshnik Tiara, the King George VI Festoon Necklace, and Queen Mary's Floret Earrings.
The Kokoshnik Tiara, which is sometimes known as the Russian Fringe Tiara, was designed in the style of a Russian peasant girl's headdress. The design of the Kokoshnik tiara was based on a similar tiara, owned by Queen Alexandra's sister, The Empress of Russia. Created by "Garrard", the tiara has sixty-one platinum bars set with 488 diamonds. The tiara was presented to Queen Alexandra, while still a princess, on the occasion of her silver wedding anniversary. It was a gift from three hundred and sixty-five peeresses of the realm. The Festoon Necklace was created from one hundred and five diamonds, at the request of King George VI, from diamonds he inherited on becoming King.
In 1950, King George VI had a diamond necklace created for his daughter Princess Elizabeth using 105 loose collets that were among the Crown heirlooms he inherited. (These, according to Hugh Roberts, had been used by Queen Mary to change the lengths of her multiple diamond collet necklaces, hence their loose status in the collection.) The end result is this take on a triple strand necklace: three strands of graduated collets suspended between two diamond triangles, with a single collet strand at the back. This is also called simply the Queen’s Festoon Necklace, though I’ll use George VI’s name to be a little more specific.
Even though her collection of diamond necklaces has vastly increased since 1950, this is still a favorite with the Queen and she wears it on a fairly regular basis."From her Majesty's Jewel vault".
These diamond and platinum earrings are another example of the multiple changes Queen Mary made to her jewels. The large central stones are the Mackinnon diamonds, a pair of solitaire earrings that were a wedding gift from Sir William Mackinnon to Mary for her wedding in 1893.
The stones were then set as the center of another pair, Queen Mary's Cluster Earrings. Later on, they were replaced and a new setting was created by Garrard, Queen Mary's Floret Earrings. In their new setting, each one is surrounded by seven slightly smaller diamonds. The earrings were inherited by the Queen on Queen Mary's death in 1953. She wears them for occasions like the State Opening of Parliament, the Garter Day ceremony, and other formal events. "From her Majesty's Jewel vault"
The Coat of arms of Cayman islands шы on top.
The Cayman Islands’ coat of arms consists of a shield, a crested helm and the motto. Three green stars, representing each of the three inhabited Islands (Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac), are set in the lower two-thirds of the shield. The stars rest on blue and white wavy bands representing the sea. In the top third of the shield, against a red background, is a gold lion passant guardant (walking with the further forepaw raised and the body seen from the side), representing Britain. Above the shield is a green turtle on a coil of rope. Behind the turtle is a gold pineapple.
The turtle represents the Caymans seafaring history,
the rope, its traditional thatch-rope industry,
and the pineapple, its ties with Jamaica.
The islands’ motto, “He hath founded it upon the seas”, is printed at the bottom of the shield. This line, a verse from Psalm 24 Verse 2, acknowledges the Caymans’ Christian heritage, as well as its ties to the sea.
The proposal for a coat of arms was approved by the Legislative Assembly in 1957, and public input was sought on its design. The Royal Warrant assigning “Armorial Ensigns for the Cayman Islands” was approved by Her Majesty’s command on 14 May 1958.
Denominations are in all corners in numerals. In the middle in words.
Nearby denomination, in the middle, шы a treasure chest.
Revers:
Beach in the Cayman Islands.
Palm tree, underneath the treasure chest. On the background, in the sea, is sailing yacht.
Denominations in numerals are in top right and left corners. Lower, in the middle, in words.
Comments:
The signature on banknote belongs to:
Sir Vassel Godfrey Johnson.
Sir Vassel Johnson, born in Jamaica of Indian parents, arrived in the Cayman Islands (through Cuba) as a child, and rose to become Financial Secretary, making his adopted country a world financial center. He was often in opposition to international commercial and government organizations because of its ambitious and innovative schemes. He followed up his financial success with a 4-year spell in politics, as the Islands' Minister for Development and Natural Resources. That Cayman is today a stable, attractive and fantastically successful offshore financial center - and a popular tourist destination - is largely because of Sir Vassel's vision and his long years of hard work.
In 1994 Sir Vassel was knighted by Her Majesty the Queen in front of the Legislative Assembly. He was the first, and to this day remains the only, Caymanian to receive this great honour.
Sir Vassel has received many honours for his endeavours, culminating in his knighthood; but this "gentle statesman" merely says, "I was grateful because my adopted home has been good to me. At the same time I trust that I have been good for it." The proof is all around him.
The Cayman Islands dollar was introduced in 1972, replacing the Jamaican dollar at par. Jamaican currency and Cayman Islands then remained both legal tender until 1 August 1972, when Jamaican currency ceased to be legal tender. The Cayman Islands dollar has been pegged to the United States dollar at 1 Cayman Islands dollar = 1.2 U.S. dollars since 1 April 1974.
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