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The big reveal came a few hours ago at the Civic at a formal launch of the design - and here's our report:

"Here we go. Three, two, one. Here we go."

(applause)

And here they are. The new flagship notes, Price on the 100 and Goldson on the 50. Standard bearers for the new family of notes built around national imagery and iconography,

Complete with security features. The new notes represent a major national shift for Belize, which, for the first time in its history, has currency notes which do not feature the image of a British monarch.

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Today, we honor Belize's cultural heritage and the transformative impact our national heroes have had on our country. George Price led a revolution that was peaceful and constructive. He worked hard every single day to lead our nation to independence. Philip Goldson understood the value of hard work and became known for his tireless work to defend his values."

And while the notes have a more international look - oddly reminiscent of pesos and other global currencies - the printers explained that the notes were canvas for a tapestry of national treasures

Stuart Rost , Banknotes Designer
"Color plays an important role in differentiating each denomination, making it easier to recognize value quickly with large value numerals on the front and reverse. There is also additional tactility on the notes with raised ink bars to provide a little extra assistance to the visually impaired."

Gareth Evans, DeLA Rue PRinyerytrs
"In featuring notable Belizean figures, iconic landscapes, national symbols and the unique flora and fauna that make Belize so special. We aim to inspire national pride and unity in every citizen so that when you hold one of these banknotes, you are not just holding currency, you are holding a piece of Belize itself. We truly very much hope that the people of Belize will agree."

But more than nationalism, the most important campaign now is to convince the public of its fixed value.

Kareem Michael, Governor of the Central Bank
"When we put the new series of notes into circulation, there will be absolutely no change in its value. Today, one U.S. dollar is equivalent to two Belizean dollars. This will not change the value of one Belize dollar after the new banknotes are put into circulation will remain the same."

That will be the focus of an aggressive public information campaign in the next few months before the currency notes go into circulation in June or July.

To stress again, the notes do not go into circulation until mid year.

We did try and speak with the governor - but he said they wanted only controlled messaging today.

Tomorrow we'll have the early reviews from the streets - as we'll ask regular folks to weigh in on how they feel about the new notes.