Timeline

• 02.08.1798
• Rating of foreign gold and silver coins in the accounting currency:
  - Spanish dollar (8 Spanish Real in silver) at 3 Guilders
  - Portuguese doubloon (6400 Portuguese real in gold), referred to as "Joe", at 22 Guilders
  - underweight gold coins were counterstamped and tolarated at nominal value for one year (afterwards at bullion value)
• 09.12.1808
• Rating of Spanish trade coins in the accounting currency:
  - Spanish Dollar (8 Spanish Real in silver) with indented round central piercing at at 3 Guilders
  - Centre plug was stamped with "E & D" and donomination, rated at 3 Bits = ¾ Guilder
• 1809-1841
• Circulation of paper money:
  01.08.1809: Council Assembly (Court of Policy) resolution on the issuance of paper money by the Treasury for circulation until end 1810; the withdrawal could not be carried out
  01.05.1830: Council resolution on the issuance of paper money by the Treasury, denominated in "Joe of 22 Guilders"; further issuance was authorized in 1832
  10.06.1839: Ordinance on the withdrawal of all paper money until end 1839 and exchange at 1 Pound Sterling = 14½ Guilders; the withdrawal took until 1841.

Timeline

• 1809-1845
• Circulation of paper money:
  01.08.1809: Council Assembly (Court of Policy) resolution on the issuance of paper money by the Treasury for circulation until end 1810; the circulating promissory notes by private individuals were not withdrawn and the recall of the Treasury notes was not implemented
  20.11.1833: Governor's proclamation on the ban of private paper money for payments to public offices ; further issuance was authorized in 1832
  ??.??.1839: Ordinance on the withdrawal of all paper money until end 1841 and exchange at 1 Pound Sterling = 14½ Guilders; the withdrawal took until 1845.

Timeline

• 1809-1832
• Issuance of silver and copper coinage denominated in the accounting currency for exclusive use in Demerara-Essequibo (were not legal tender in Berbice):
  - 12.05.1809: Council resolution on the issuance of silver coins of 3, 2, 1, ½, ¼ Guilders (the plans for gold coinage was abandoned); effective by governor's proclamation on 10.02.1810:
  - 25.11.1815: Authorization of a second issuance of silver coins of 3, 2, 1, ½, ¼ Guilders
  - 22.02.1818: Authorization of a issuance of copper coins of 1, ½ Stivers
  - 08.06.1831: Authorization of a third issuance of silver coins of 3, 2, 1, ½, ¼, ⅛ Guilders.
• 23.03.1825
• British government decree declares the pound sterling to be the unit of account for all British possessions; rating of the Spanish dollar at 52 pennies sterling
• 08.09.1825
• Proclamation of the British Order in Council of 23.03.1825, which introduced British silver and copper coins as legal tender to colonies where the Spanish Dollar is current; effective immediately:
  - The nominal rate of Spanish Dollar = 3 Guilders = 52 Pence Sterling was adjusted to 1 Pound Sterling = 14 Guilders (instead of 13¹¹⁄₁₃ Guilders).
• 15.11.1838
• Proclamation of the British Order in Council of 14.09.1838, which changed the rating of the Spanish trade coins; effective immediately:
  - Spanish Dollar (8 Spanish Real in silver) = 3 Guilders = 50 Pence Sterling (1 Pound Sterling = 14²⁄₅ Guilders)
  - Spanish doubloon (8 Spanish escudos in gold) = 46²⁄₂₅ Guilders = 64 Shillings Sterling.
• 12.08.1836
• Authorization of fourth issuance of silver coins of 1, ½, ¼, ⅛ Guilders for use in the merged colony of British Guiana; introduction into Berbice started in early 1837.

Valuation Regimes

• 1810-1839
• Fixed rate against silver (Spanish Dollar)

Timeline

• 02.02.1839
• Ordinance [Currency Ordinance, No. 3] on the adoption of the Dollar of 50 Pence Sterling as unit of account; effective 01.03.1839
• 11.02.1840
• Ordinance [No. 1] on the continued legal tender status of the Demerara-Essequibo and British Guiana coinage at a rate of 1 Guilder = 32 Cents; effective immediately
• 01.08.1876
• Ordinance [No. 6] on the demonetization of the Spanish Dollar; effective 22.08.1876
• 01.07.1891
• Governor's proclamation on the issuance of a silver subsidiary coin of 4 Pence Sterling (= 8 Cents = ¼ Guilder); effective immediately
• 01.07.1882
• Start of paper money issuance by the British Guiana Bank (state-owned commercial bank).
• 12.05.1900
• Ordinance [Guilder Coinage Demonetization, No. 8] on the demonetization of the Demerara-Essequibo and British Guiana coinage; effective 31.12.1900
• 04.06.1908
• Order in Council on the demonetization of the Spanish Doubloon; effective 01.08.1908
• 30.06.1915
• Ordinance [Government Currency Notes, Nr. 16] on the establishment of a currency commission and the issuance of state paper money; effective 01.08.1916
• 01.08.1916
• Start of issuance of government paper money that circulated alongside the private paper money by the commercial banks

Valuation Regimes

• 1839-1951
• Fixed rate against British Pound

Timeline

• 15.10.1965
• Central Bank Act [Bank of Guyana, No. 23]; effective immediately
• 16.11.1965
• Start of currency exchange:
  - 16.11.1965: Start of issuance of the new banknotes and coins
  - 30.09.1966: Demonetization of the British West Indian currency

Valuation Regimes

• 1965-1975
• Fixed rate against British Pound
• 1975-1984
• Fixed rate against US Dollar
• 1975-1987
• Variable rate
• 1987-1991
• Fixed rate against US Dollar
• 1991-
• Variable rate