<P> In 1904, the first government - authorized banknotes were produced in the denomination of 10s . Banknotes of £ 1 and £ 5 were also being circulated by chartered banks . In 1918, denominations of 2s 6d and 5s were authorized . The 2s 6d note proved to have a short life, being withdrawn in 1922 . 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 released on May 1, 1961, in the denominations of 5s, 10s, £ 1, and £ 5 . </P> <P> On January 30, 1968, the Jamaican House of Representatives voted to decimalize the currency by introducing the dollar, worth 10 shillings, to replace the Jamaican pound . Coins and banknotes went into circulation on September 8, 1969 . The introduction of a decimal currency provided the opportunity for the introduction of a complete Jamaican coinage as formerly, the coins (with the exception of the penny and halfpenny), were the same as those used in the United Kingdom . The reverse of the decimal coinage was designed by Christopher Ironside, O.B.E. . These coins were in circulation from 1969 to about 1990 . </P> <P> From its introduction, the Jamaican dollar has fallen from a peak of J $0.77 to US $1 in its first few years of circulation to a series of new lows exceeding J $129 to US $1 in November 2016 . It was a huge setback to their economy . </P>

When did jamaica start using dollars and cents