19 February 2026
The Central Bank of Belize wishes to advise the public of the following:
In 1984, a private company, Numismatica International Limited, marketed and sold a series of gold commemorative banknotes under the title “The First Gold Banknotes of Belize.” These gold banknotes were produced for numismatic purposes and bear inscriptions including “Central Bank of Belize” and “Legal Tender in Belize.”
Under section 22(1) of the Central Bank of Belize Act, CAP 262, only notes issued by the Central Bank constitute legal tender in Belize. The gold banknotes were not issued by the Central Bank of Belize and therefore are not legal tender.
These gold commemorative banknotes are ineligible for redemption, purchase or monetary assignment by the Central Bank.
The public is therefore advised to exercise due diligence when encountering such gold commemorative banknotes in the marketplace and to be aware that they hold no legal tender status within Belize’s monetary system.