Banknotes of the Australian dollar

The banknotes of the Australian dollar, were first issued on the 14 February 1966.

Former series (paper)

The $5 note was not issued until 1967. The $1 (10/-,) $2 (£1,) $10 (£5,) and $20 (£10) had exact exchange rates with pounds, but the $5 (£2/10) did not, and so was introduced after the public had become familiar with decimal currency. Notes issued between 1966 and 1972 bore the title "Commonwealth of Australia". Starting from 1973, the title on the new notes only read "Australia". The $50 note was introduced in 1973 and the $100 note in 1984, in response to inflation requiring larger denominations for transactions. The one dollar note was replaced by a large coin in 1984, while the two dollar note was replaced by a small coin in 1988.

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.

There were initial difficulties with the banknote first banknote issued, the $10 note (pictured), 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) were 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.

Proposed Japanese occupation currency notes

During World War II Japan had prepared to invade many countries including Australia. Because of this Australia had the "honour" of having its own currency created for her by the Japanese Government. It should be noted that this is not the only currency outside of their own that they decided to use. For these examples see Japanese military yen.

However due to the fact that Japan never succeeded in their goal of invasion the currency was never used in Australia. It was however used in the captured Australian colonies of Papua New Guinea.

The notes may be viewed at the Reserve Bank Of Australia website. [ [http://www.rba.gov.au/Museum/Displays/1920_1960_comm_bank_and_note_issue/world_war2.html The Commonwealth Bank and the note issue: 1920–1960] ]

References

External links

# [http://www.australianstamp.com/Coin-web/aust/notes/decimal.htm Australian Decimal Banknotes]
# The [http://www.moneytracker.com.au/ Money Tracker] site allows users to track Australian banknotes as they circulate around Australia.
# The Reserve Bank of Australia have a full [http://www.rba.gov.au/Museum/Timeline/1901_1920.html timeline] of Australian Banknotes.