Guyana dollars are the official currency of Guyana. The currency code is GYD. Guyana dollars are subdivided into 100 cents. In February 2015, the exchange rate was approximately US$1 to GYD220.The history of money in Guyana dates back to 1839 when British Guiana issued its first paper money notes. These were followed by silver and copper coins in 1853 and gold coins in 1865. In 1910, the British Guiana dollar was introduced as a replacement for the sterling pound at a rate of 2 shillings 6 pence = 1 dollar (GYD2.6 = GBP1). When Guyana became an independent republic within the Commonwealth on 26 May 1966, it continued to use the British Guiana dollar until 1971 when it introduced its own decimal currency system and began issuing Guyana dollars (GYD) at a par value with respect to sterling (£).
