| Five Dollars (Australia) | |
|---|---|
| Value: | 5 Australian dollars |
| Width: | 130 mm |
| Height: | 65 mm |
| Security Features: | Window, watermark |
| Paper Type: | Polymer |
| Years of Printing: | 1992 – present |
| Obverse | |
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| Design: | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Designer: | Bruce Stewart |
| Design Date: | 24 April 1995 |
| Reverse | |
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| Design: | Parliament House, Canberra |
| Designer: | Bruce Stewart |
| Design Date: | 24 April 1995 |
The Australian 5 dollar note was issued one year after the currency was changed from the Australian pound to the Australian dollar on 14 February 1966. It was a new denomination, as the pound system had no £2½, with a new mauve colouration. There have been four different issues of this denomination: a paper note which had a gradient of mauve, with a distinct black overprint.
The polymer issue, which can be recognised for its distinct mauve colouration, was first issued in pale mauve (1992). It was soon discovered that ultra-violet light degraded the ink bond and that a note in circulation for any moderate period of time could have elements scratched off with a fingernail, for example. In 1995, a second version was created, distinguishable by its deeper shade. A federation commemorative was issued in 2001 for that year only.
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Statistics
According to Reserve Bank statistics, at the end of June 2006 there was a net value of $572 million in $5 notes in circulation, with a 1.5% cash value of all issued currency. Actual banknotes in circulation account for 13.3% of all denominations, or 114 million banknotes.[1]
Since the start of issuance there have been sixteen signature combinations, of which the 1967 issue is of the greatest value, issued for two years only; and the 1990 Fraser/Higgens being issued for less than a year.
From 1967 to 1974, the main title identifying the country was "Commonwealth of Australia" and there were 195,504,000 notes issued in its life. This was subsequently changed to "Australia" until the end of the issuance of paper currency for this denomination in 1992 with 978,068,318 of these notes being issued.
Design
For the earlier issue Joseph Banks and Caroline Chisholm were portrayed on the paper issue, with Queen Elizabeth II on the polymer issue.
Security features
The paper design included a watermark in the white field of Captain James Cook, the watermark was also used in the last issue of pound banknotes. A metallic strip, first near the centre of the note, then from 1976 moved to the left side on the obverse of the note.
The polymer issue includes a watermark or clear imprint of the coat of arms which is printed over, a pointed star with four points on the obverse and three on the reverse that come together under light, a clear window that has a eucalyptus leaf showing, and raised print and micro printing of the denomination name.[2]
Nickname
The $5 note is colloquially known as a 'pink snapper' or 'piglet', due to its colour.
Other issues
.jpg) Federation commemorative obverse featuring Henry Parkes |
.jpg) Federation commemorative reverse featuring Catherine Helen Spence |
 1967 paper note obverse featuring Joseph Banks |
 1967 paper note reverse featuring Caroline Chisholm |
References
- ^ Reserve bank statistics 2004/2005
- ^ Security Features on Australia's Notes retrieved 20 August 2006
- Ian W. Pitt, ed (2000). Renniks Australian Coin and Banknote Values (19th ed. ed.). Chippendale, N.S.W.: Renniks Publications. pp. 171–172. ISBN 0-9585574-4-6.
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