Banknotes of the Australian dollar explained

The notes of the Australian dollar were first issued by the Reserve Bank of Australia on 14 February 1966, when Australia changed to decimal currency and replaced the pound with the dollar.[1] This currency was a lot easier for calculating compared to the previous Australian pound worth 20 shillings or 240 pence.

First series (paper)

The $1 (10/-), $2 (£1), $10 (£5), and $20 (£10) had exact exchange rates with pounds and were a similar colour to the notes they replaced, but the $5 (worth £2 10s) did not, and was not introduced until May 1967 when the public had become more familiar with decimal currency. The original notes were designed by Gordon Andrews, who rejected traditional Australian clichés in favour of interesting and familiar subjects such as Aboriginal culture, women, the environment, architecture and aeronautics.[2]

Notes issued between 1966 and 1973 bore the title "Commonwealth of Australia". Starting from 1974, the title on the new notes only read "Australia" and the legal tender phrase was also changed from "Legal Tender throughout the Commonwealth of Australia and the territories of the Commonwealth" to "This Australian Note is legal tender throughout Australia and its territories".

The $50 note was introduced in 1973 and the $100 note in 1984, in response to inflation requiring larger denominations for transactions. The $1 note was replaced by a $1 coin in 1984, while the $2 note was replaced by a smaller $2 coin in 1988.[3] Although no longer printed, all previous notes of the Australian dollar are still considered legal tender.[4]

Paper series[5] [6]
Image Value Dimensions colours Description Date of circulation
Front Back Front Back
$1140 × 70 mmBrown and orangeQueen Elizabeth IIDavid Malangi (artwork)1966–1984
$2145 × 72.5 mmGreen and yellowJohn MacarthurWilliam Farrer1966–1988
$5150 × 75 mmMauveSir Joseph BanksCaroline Chisholm1967–1992
$10155 × 77.5 mmBlue and orangeFrancis GreenwayHenry Lawson1966–1993
$20160 × 80 mmRed and yellow (orange backset)Sir Charles Kingsford SmithLawrence Hargrave1966–1994
$50165 × 82.5 mmYellow, blue, brown and greenHoward Florey, Baron FloreySir Ian Clunies Ross1973–1995
$100172 × 82.5 mmLight blue and greySir Douglas MawsonJohn Tebbutt1984–1996
Remarks

Polymer commemorative $10 note

In 1988, the Reserve Bank of Australia issued $10 notes in plastic. The polypropylene polymer banknotes were produced by Note Printing Australia, to commemorate the bicentenary of European settlement in Australia.[7] These notes contained a transparent "window" with a diffractive optically variable device (DOVD) image of Captain James Cook as a security feature. Australian notes were the first in the world to use such features. All current Australian notes also contain microprinting for further security.[8]

Polymer commemorative (1988)
Note Obverse design Reverse design Dimensions (mm) Weight (g) Main colour Window imageEmbossingPrinted Issued
$10HMS Supply anchored at Sydney CoveAustralian Aboriginal culture and peoples155 × 77.5 mm[9] Green, orange and yellowCaptain Cook26 Jan 1988[10]
Remarks

Second series (polymer)

There were initial difficulties with the first polymer note issued; the $10 note had problems with the holographic security feature detaching from the note itself. However, the Reserve Bank saw potential in the issue of plastic notes and commenced preparations for an entirely new series made from polymer, commencing with the $5 note in 1992. Today all Australian notes are made of polymer.

In April 1995, the design of the $5 notes was updated to match the rest of the New Banknote Series, with additional slight changes in 1996. In 2001, a special commemorative 'Federation' $5 note was produced,[11] but in 2002, the previous version's production commenced again. From 2002, the design of all notes (except for the $5 note picturing the Queen) was slightly changed to include the names of the people pictured on them under the portraits, and swapping the order of the signatures of officials on the notes.

Second series(1992–2016)[12]
Note ImageObverse design Reverse design Dimensions4 (mm) Weight4 (g) Main colour Window image Embossing5 Printed Issued
FrontBack
$5 original1
Queen Elizabeth II
 
Parliament House,
Old Parliament House		130 × 65 × 0.11300.764Pale mauve[13] Gum flower1992–19937 Jul 1992
$5 recoloured
Queen Elizabeth II
 
Parliament House,
Old Parliament House		130 × 65 × 0.12560.783Violet, pink1995–201524 April 1995
$5 Federation2[14]
Sir Henry Parkes
Catherine Helen Spence		130 × 65 × 0.12590.815Leaf-shaped window"5"20011 Jan 2001
$103
Banjo Paterson
Dame Mary Gilmore		137 × 65 × 0.12940.841BlueWindmillWavy lines1993–20151 Nov 1993
$20Mary ReibeyReverend John Flynn144 × 65 × 0.13320.900Red/OrangeCompass"20"1994–201331 Oct 1994
$50
David Unaipon
Edith Cowan		151 × 65 × 0.14000.955YellowSouthern Cross"50"1995–20164 Oct 1995
$100
Dame Nellie Melba
Sir John Monash		158 × 65 × 0.14081.006GreenLyrebird"100"1996–201715 May 1996
Remarks
  1. Some members of the public had difficulties in differentiating between the $5 and $10 notes especially in poor light conditions.
  2. Commemorating the Centenary of Federation. It also features the text of the speech Henry Parkes gave to parliament in favour of federation in microprint, on the side featuring his face.
  3. This note features excerpts of text from Banjo Paterson's most famous poem The Man From Snowy River intertwined with the text "TEN DOLLARS" in microprint on the front, and the text of Mary Gilmore's patriotic poem No Foe Shall Gather Our Harvest on the reverse.
  4. Thickness and weight of notes is +/-5 percent per 1000 notes
  5. Embossing is inside the shiny, transparent window.

Third series (polymer)

On 13 February 2015 the Reserve Bank of Australia announced that the next series of Australia notes would have a tactile feature to help the visually impaired community to tell the value of the note after a successful campaign led by 15-year-old Connor McLeod, who is blind, to introduce the new feature.[15] [16] The notes retain the key aspects of the previous series' design such as the colour, size and people portrayed for ease of recognition and to minimise disruption to businesses.

The new $5 note includes the tactile feature and was issued on 1 September 2016, to coincide with Australia's National Wattle Day,[17] followed by the new $10 banknote on 20 September 2017.[18] The new $50 note was released for circulation on 18 October 2018,[19] followed by the new $20 note on 9 October 2019,[20] and the new $100 was released on the 29 October 2020.[21] [22] The Reserve Bank currently has no plans to release fourth series notes in denominations higher than $100, despite the amount of inflation that has occurred since the $100 note was introduced in 1984.

In May 2019 the Reserve Bank confirmed that the $50 note contained a misspelling of the word "responsibility" on the reverse design, a typo that would be corrected in future printings.[23]

It was announced on 2 February 2023 that the new $5 note would not feature Charles III, but rather an Indigenous design. This is seen as an attempt by the Albanese government to distance Australian currency from Australia's monarchy in the long term. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said, "The monarch will still be on the coins, but the $5 note will say more about our history and our heritage and our country, and I see that as a good thing."[24]

Next Generation Banknote (NGB) series (2016–present)
Value ImageDesign Dimensions1 (mm) Weight1 (g) Main colour Window image Embossing3 Printed Issued
Front Back Front Back
$5Queen Elizabeth IIParliament House4130 × 65unknownPurpleTop to Bottom window2Federation starCurrently printing1 September 2016
$10Banjo PatersonDame Mary Gilmore137 × 65unknownBlueTop to bottom windowPen nibCurrently printing20 September 2017
$20Mary ReibeyReverend John Flynn144 × 650.82gRedTop to bottom windowCompassCurrently printing9 October 2019
$50David UnaiponEdith Cowan151 × 65unknownYellowTop to bottom windowBookCurrently printing18 October 2018
$100Dame Nellie MelbaSir John Monash158 × 65unknownGreenTop to bottom windowFanCurrently printing29 October 2020
Source: Reserve Bank of Australia.[25] [26]
Remarks
  1. Thickness and weight of notes is +/-5 percent per 1000 notes
  2. A new clear polymer window that goes from the top to the bottom of the note that is all clear
  3. Embossing is inside the small window.
  4. There are two blocks of micro-text on the reverse side of the Fourth series five dollar note, which contains excerpts of the Constitution of Australia

See also

External links

  1. Australian banknotes price guide and values coinsandaustralia.com
  2. Australian Decimal Banknotes australianstamp.com
  3. The Money Tracker site allows users to track Australian banknotes as they circulate around Australia.
  4. The Reserve Bank of Australia has a full timeline of Australian banknotes.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Reserve Bank and Reform of the Currency: 1960–1988: Australia's First Decimal Banknotes. Reserve Bank of Australia Museum. Reserve Bank of Australia. 31 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160427094349/http://museum.rba.gov.au/displays/rba-currency-reform/#australias-first-decimal-banknotes. 27 April 2016. dead.
  2. Web site: The Designer: Gordon Andrews The Decimal Revolution Reserve Bank of Australia – Museum. Australia. Reserve Bank of. en-AU. 2016-09-13.
  3. Web site: The Reserve Bank and Reform of the Currency: 1960–1988, Inflation and the Note Issue . Reserve Bank of Australia . Reserve Bank of Australia Music um . 31 December 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160427094349/http://museum.rba.gov.au/displays/rba-currency-reform/#inflation-and-the-note-issue . 27 April 2016 . dead .
  4. Web site: DELIBERATE DAMAGE. Reserve Bank of Australia. All Australian banknotes, present and all past issues, are lawfully current in Australia.. Legal. 9 February 2015.
  5. Renniks Australian Coin and Banknote Values
  6. Web site: Other Banknotes. Reserve Bank of Australia. 16 December 2020.
  7. Web site: Introducing Polymer Banknotes: A New Era. Reserve Bank of Australia Museum. Reserve Bank of Australia. 31 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160215064223/http://museum.rba.gov.au/displays/polymer-banknotes/#why-polymer. 15 February 2016. dead.
  8. Web site: List of Security Features . Counterfeit Detection . Reserve Bank of Australia . 9 February 2015 . The security features that can be used to check a banknote are: Polymer Substrate ... Clear Window ... See-through Registration Device ... Shadow Image ... Intaglio Print ... Background Print (Offset) ... Micro-printing ... Fluorescent Ink.
  9. Web site: Australia $10 – 1998. 23 February 2019.
  10. Web site: Introducing Polymer Banknotes – 1988. Reserve Bank of Australia. 23 February 2019.
  11. Web site: Banknotes in Circulation-$5 BANKNOTE . banknotes.rba.gov.au . Reserve Bank of Australia . 9 February 2015.
  12. Web site: A Complete Series of Polymer Banknotes: 1992–1996. Reserve Bank of Australia Museum. Reserve Bank of Australia. 31 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160215071843/http://museum.rba.gov.au/displays/a-complete-series-of-polymer-banknotes/. 15 February 2016. dead.
  13. Book: Renniks Australian Coin and Banknote Values . 19th . Ian W. Pitt . Renniks Publications . . 2000 . 0-9585574-4-6 . 168.
  14. Web site: Other Banknotes .
  15. Next Generation Banknotes: Additional Feature for the Vision Impaired . Media Office-Reserve Bank of Australia . 19 February 2015 . www.rba.gov.au . 13 February 2015.
  16. News: Haxton. Nance . RBA to introduce tactile banknotes after 15yo blind boy Connor McLeod campaigns for change . 19 February 2015 . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 18 February 2015.
  17. http://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2016/mr-16-02.html Next Generation of Banknotes: Issuance Date for the New $5 Banknote
  18. Web site: Next Generation of Banknotes: $10 Design Reveal. Reserve Bank of Australia. February 17, 2017.
  19. Web site: Next Generation of Banknotes: Circulation Date for the New $50 Banknote. Reserve Bank of Australia. September 5, 2018.
  20. Next Generation of Banknotes: $20 Enters General Circulation. Sydney, Australia. Reserve Bank of Australia. 8 October 2019. 25 February 2020.
  21. Next Generation of Banknotes: $100 Design Reveal. Sydney, Australia. Reserve Bank of Australia. 24 February 2020. 25 February 2020.
  22. Web site: Next Generation of Banknotes: Circulation Date for the New $100 Banknote. Reserve Bank of Australia. 30 September 2020.
  23. News: Australia's A$50 note misspells responsibility . BBC . May 8, 2019 . May 8, 2019.
  24. News: Australia is removing British monarchy from its bank notes. AP News. Nick. Perry. Rod. McGuirk. 2 February 2023. 2 February 2023.
  25. Web site: A Complete Series of Polymer Banknotes: 1992–1996. Reserve Bank of Australia Museum. Reserve Bank of Australia. 31 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160215071843/http://museum.rba.gov.au/displays/a-complete-series-of-polymer-banknotes/. 15 February 2016. dead.
  26. News: RBA Banknotes: Banknote Features. 2018-04-09. en.

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