<P> The emancipation of the slaves in 1838 increased the need for coinage in Jamaica, particularly low denomination coins, but the blacks were still reluctant to use copper . The solution was to use cupronickel, adopted in 1869 . Penny and halfpennies were minted for use in Jamaica, becoming the first truly Jamaican coins . Beginning in 1880, the farthing was also minted in cupronickel . </P> <P> In 1904, the Currency Notes Law was passed, "constituting a Board of Commissioners to issue notes called currency notes for the value of 10 shillings each," although no such notes were issued at that time . This law was amended by Law 17 of 1918 which authorized "the issue of currency notes for such denominations as may be approved ." The Commissioners of Currency issued the first notes under these laws on 15 March 1920, in the denominations of 2 shillings 6 pence, 5 shillings, and 10 shillings, with each note carrying the inscription that they were "Issued under the authority of Law 27 of 1904 & Law 17 of 1918 ." Only these three smaller denominations were issued by the Board of Commissioners; 1 - and 5 - pound notes were issued by the chartered banks operating in Jamaica . In 1940, the government bank began producing £ 1 and £ 5 notes . </P> <P> In October 1960, the Bank of Jamaica was given the sole right to mint coins and produce banknotes in Jamaica . Their notes were issued on May 1, 1961 in denominations of 5s, 10s, £ 1 and £ 5 . </P> <P> On January 30, 1968, the Jamaican House of Representatives voted to decimalize the currency, introducing a new dollar worth 10s, and divided into 100 cents (1 cent thus being equal to 1.2 d). At the time, coins of 1 cent (1.2 d), 5 cents (6d), 10 cents (1s), 20 cents (2s) and 25 cents (2s6d) were produced and banknotes of 50 cents (5s), $1 (10s), $2 (£ 1), and $10 (£ 5). These coins and banknotes went into circulation on September 8, 1969 . </P>

When did jamaica stop using the english pound