If your banknotes look a little funny next month but you’re not sure why, don’t worry.

And if you check the reverse and get a sense of déjà vu, don’t panic. You have not entered a time warp.

It’s just the new commemorative notes being released by the Bank of Jamaica to celebrate the country’s 50th birthday.

From July 26th, the new bills – $50, $100, $500, $1,000 and $5,000 – will go into circulation with the addition of the 50th anniversary hummingbird logo over the watermark on the right hand side.

The pictures on the reverse have all been replaced with one from the $2 note in circulation from 1969 to 1994.

It shows a group of children from the Central Branch Primary School (c1962) and the national moto, “Out of many, one people”

Most of the notes, which are legal tender so can be used to buy any goods or services, are likely to last longer than ordinary cash.

They are being printed on new, more durable materials than the cotton that is usually used.

The $100 bills will be printed on a combination of polyester film layered with cotton fibre made by the German paper manufacturer Louisenthal which will not only last longer but stay clean and firm even in extreme conditions.

The $50, $500 and $1,000 notes will be made from cotton coated with varnish to protect against moisture.

The $5,000 bill will continue to be printed on cotton because the security thread is not compatible with the other materials.

Although the notes printed on new materials will cost more initially, the bank expects to save money because they will last longer.