Banknotes of The Australian Dollar - Current Series (polymer)

Current Series (polymer)

In 1988, the Reserve Bank of Australia issued plastic, specifically polypropylene polymer banknotes (which were produced by Note Printing Australia), to commemorate the bicentenary of European settlement in Australia. These notes contained a transparent "window" with an optically variable image of Captain James Cook as a security feature. Australian banknotes were the first in the world to use such features. All current Australian banknotes also contain Microprinting for further security.

First series (1988)

There were initial difficulties with the first banknote issued; the $10 note (pictured above) was recalled because of problems with the holographic security feature detaching from the note. However, the Reserve Bank saw potential in the issue of plastic banknotes and commenced preparations for an entirely new series made from polymer, commencing with the $5 note in 1992. In 1995, the design of the $5 note was updated to match the rest of the New Note Series, with additional slight changes in 1996. In 2001, a special commemorative $5 note was produced, but in 2002, the previous version's production commenced again.

In 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.

Today all Australian notes are made of polymer.

Second series (1991–2012)
Image Value Dimensions4 Weight4 Main Colour Description Date of
Front Back Front Back Transparent Window Image Embossing5 printing issue
Original $51 130 mm × 65 mm × 0.1130 mm 0.764 g Pale mauve Queen Elizabeth II Parliament House and old Parliament House Gum flower none 1992–1993 7 July 1992
Recoloured $5 130 mm × 65 mm × 0.1256 mm 0.783 g Violet/pink Currently printing 24 April 1995
Federation $52 130 mm × 65 mm × 0.1259 mm 0.815 g Sir Henry Parkes Catherine Helen Spence Leaf shaped window "5" 2001 1 January 2001
$103 137 mm × 65 mm × 0.1294 mm 0.841 g Blue Banjo Paterson Dame Mary Gilmore Windmill Wavy lines Currently printing 1 November 1993
$20 144 mm × 65 mm × 0.1332 mm 0.900 g Red Mary Reibey Reverend John Flynn Compass "20" Currently printing 31 October 1994
$50 151 mm × 65 mm × 0.1400 mm 0.955 g Yellow David Unaipon Edith Cowan Southern Cross "50" Currently printing 4 October 1995
$100 158 mm × 65 mm × 0.1408 mm 1.006 g Green Dame Nellie Melba General Sir John Monash Lyrebird "100" Currently printing 15 May 1996
Remarks
  1. The colour faded with wear and tear. Print could be removed by scratching it with fingernail and saliva.
  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% per 1000 notes
  5. Embossing is inside the shiny, transparent window.

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