A former Dutch colony, Suriname issued guilder currency until 2004 when the country transitioned to the Surinamese dollar. The first paper money was issued in 1826 by the Algemene Nederlandsche Maatschappij (General Netherlands Company) followed shortly thereafter in 1829 by notes of the West Indies Bank. The Surinaamsche Bank issued banknotes throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As part of the transition to independent governance, the Central Bank of Suriname was established in 1956 and assumed responsibility for paper money issuance in 1957.