The first Chatham Islands banknotes were issued in 1999, when the Reserve Bank of New Zealand authorized a private organization, the Chatham Islands Note Corporation, to issue banknotes to commemorate Chatham Islands being the first land to enter the third millennium.

The Chatham Islands Note Corporation issued 2 series of banknotes before it went out of existence in 2003. The Series I notes were printed in late 1999 in time for release on January 1, 2000 in denominations of $2, $3, $10 and $15. The Series II notes were printed some time during the year 2000 for release in 2001 in denominations of $3, $5, $8, $10 and $15.

These Chatham Islands notes were generally accepted by merchants on the Chatham Islands. The Chatham Islands dollar was pegged at the same rate as the New Zealand dollar.

Front: Ratu Penaia Ganilau (1918-1993), Fiji's first President (1987-1993)

Ganilau was educated in England. After graduating from Oxford University, he returned to Fiji and entered the Colonial Administration Service.

In 1963, the first election in which Fijians were allowed to vote directly, Ganilau was elected to the Legislative Council, the equivalent of modern Fijian Parliament. He later served as Minister for Fijian Affairs, Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Communications, Works and Tourism, and Deputy Prime Minister. In 1983 he was appointed Governor-General. Ratu Ganilau was appointed the first ever President of the new Republic of Fiji in 1987.

Back: Group of islanders and turtle