On 21 April 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Queen Elizabeth the Second. Queen Elizabeth the Second was born on 21 April 1926 and died on 8 September 2022. To commemorate the centennial birth of the late Queen Elizabeth the Second (QEII), the Central Bank of Samoa (CBS) released a limited edition of a commemorative banknote of 100 tala to honour her 100th birth year.
Like the current circulating 100 tala note, this commemorative note is also printed in polymer substrate material, and for the first time, this note is printed in a vertical format on both front and back.
This commemorative banknote is legal tender in Samoa but is not intended for general circulation. This issue is intended solely for collectors and for those who would like to get this for a souvenir.
One Hundred Tala
Front - The front of the note depicts three portraits of the late QEII. Starting with the center portrait when QEII was 9 years old. This portrait was taken in 1934 by Marcus Adams and I believe it was used for the Bank of Canada $20 note in 1935. It should be noted that back then, she was the third in line to the British throne, after her uncle Prince Edward and her father Prince Albert. In 1935, her grandfather King George V was the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. The next portrait was taken in 1951 by Yousuf Karsh when she was still the princess aged 25 years old. The third one was taken by Bill Ingalls in 2007 when the Queen was 81 years old.
At the bottom, the note also features a green turtle and an outrigger canoe with two men on it.
Governor - Maiava Atalina Emma Ainuu-Enari (since 11.08.2011)
Date - 1926-2026 (10.09.2026)
Watermark - N/A
Sizes - 72.5mm x 141mm
Quantity - 20,000 pieces (s/# QEII 00001 - QEII 20000)
Back - The back of the note features her 1977 Silver Jubilee tour of Samoa (Western Samoa). This is the first country that the Queen visited during her Pacific tour. During the 1977 Silver Jubilee around the world tour, she visited commonwealth countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Fiji, Tonga, Western Samoa, and Papua New Guinea. In addition to these, she also visited the West Indies/Caribbean including a brief stoppover in the Bahamas, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The visit to Western Samoa was a one day tour. The Queen arrived on the royal yacht HMS Britannia on 11 February 1977. The Queen arrived via air and landed in American Samoa on 10 February 1977 from the United Kingdom before crossing over to Western Samoa by sea. This was the first time a reigning British monarch visited Western Samoa.
There were fears the Queen would not be received well in return for the cold shoulder suffered by Samoa’s Head of State when he was in Britain the year before. However, the visit was successful and the Royal family were welcome spontaneous and warm by the Samoans. The Queen and Prince Philip arrived aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia and were welcomed with immense local celebration, traditional Samoan welcoming ceremonies, cultural dances, and formal parades.
As usual, Prince Philip is reported to have himself made a muted protest. “What a pity,” he said, in a remark meant to be overheard, “that they couldn’t be allowed to come forward to have a better look.”
The banknote shows the Queen, Prince Philip and Malietoa Tanumafili II (b.1913-2007) walkabout upon her arrival. During her visit, the Queen planted a memorial tree outside the Maota Fono (parliament building) in Apia.
After the Western Samoa visit, the Queen continued her Pacific tour and visited Tonga (14 February), Fiji (16-17 February), New Zealand (22 February-7 March), Australia (7-23 March) and Papua New Guinea (23-26 March).
Other designs include Fuipisia Falls in the background, At the bottom is an 18th-century sailing ship and the partial ruins of the London Missionary Society church at the Sale'aula lava field on Savai'l.
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