and coins will be circulating during Cup Match weekend.

This is a 6.1 percent hike on the $72 million floating around at the same time last year, new BMA general manager Munro Sutherland said yesterday.

Cup Match is traditionally a period when the value of local money in circulation rises sharply because of extra holiday spending.

But the seasonal peak is normally reversed very quickly after Bermuda's favourite holiday weekend.

Between July 1 and today, the traditional pre-Cup Match period, the BMA has issued $7.5 million to the banks. In the same period last year just $5.6 million was issued.