Banknotes of the Australian pound facts for kids

An issued Bank of Queensland £1 note (1864)

Banknotes of the Australian pound were first issued by numerous private banks in Australia, starting with the Bank of New South Wales in 1817. Acceptance of private bank notes was not made compulsory by legal tender laws but they were widely used and accepted. The Queensland government issued treasury notes (1866–1869) and banknotes (1893–1910), which were legal tender in Queensland. The New South Wales government issued a limited series of Treasury Notes in 1893.

In 1910, the Commonwealth passed the Australian Notes Act of 1910 to initiate banking and currency reform. The Act stipulated that six months after the date of passage (16 September 1910), private banks could no longer issue any form of money, and that any note or instrument issued by a State Bank would no longer be considered legal tender. The Act further established the powers of the Commonwealth to issue, re-issue, and cancel Australian notes. The Act also established denominations, legal tender status, and the amount of gold coin held in reserve to secure the issues. On 10 October 1910 (prior to the effective date of the Notes Act), a Bank Notes Tax Act 1910 imposed a "Ten pounds per centum" tax on all issued or re-issued bank notes. A third currency reform act was passed on 22 December 1911 establishing the Commonwealth Bank. The Commonwealth Bank Act of 1911 specifically stated that the bank was not to issue bills or notes for circulation. The Australian Treasury issued banknotes until a 1920 amendment to the Commonwealth Bank Act of 1911. The amendment established a note-issuing department within the bank which assumed those responsibilities previously held by the Treasury.

On 14 February 1966 the Australian pound was replaced by a decimal currency, the Australian dollar, which was divided into one hundred cents.

Superscribed banknotes (1910–1914)

A superscribed note from the London Bank of Australia Limited

The first national issue of paper money (known as Superscribed banknotes) consisted of overprinted notes from fifteen private banks and the Queensland government, issued between 1910 and 1914 in denominations of £1, £5, £10, £20, £50 and £100. The notes, purchased by the Australian government from the remaining private bank stock, were overprinted with the words "Australian note". Surviving notes above the £10 denomination are extremely rare: two £20 notes are known (privately held), £50 notes are known in the collections of the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Art Gallery of South Australia, and no £100 banknotes of this series are known to exist.

Commonwealth banknotes of the Australian pound

In 1913 the first national banknotes were introduced in denominations of 10s, £1, £5, and £10. 1914 saw the introduction of £20, £50, £100, and £1000 notes. The £1000 note only saw limited circulation and was later confined to inter-bank use. Stocks were destroyed in 1969 and there are no uncancelled examples of this note known to exist in private hands, though a single cancelled example sold in a 2007 auction for AU$1,200,000.

Design alterations were introduced fairly quickly. Beginning in 1915, 10s notes included a red "Half Sovereign" overprint. Banknote size was reduced for the £1 (1923), £5 (1924), and £10 (1925). A portrait of King George V was introduced in the mid-1920s on the 10s through £10 notes. These notes still referred to the currency's convertibility to gold on demand. A newer £1000 note (1923–1928) with the profile of George V was also prepared but never issued. A punch-cancelled specimen note was discovered in London in 1996 and subsequently sold for a sum in excess of $200,000. Nonetheless, this note is not recognised as a legitimate Australian banknote issue.

Just after the start of the Great Depression in 1933, Australian currency ceased to be redeemable for gold at the previously maintained rate of one gold sovereign for one pound currency. Subsequently, a new series of legal tender notes were designed, once again bearing the portrait of King George V, in denominations of 10s, £1, £5 and £10. These denominations and designs were maintained and modified to accommodate the portrait of King George VI in 1938. For both issues £50 and £100 specimens were prepared, but were not issued.

Issuance of the Australian pound banknote (1913–1965)

Issuance of the Australian pound banknote (1913–1965)

Issue	Value (Dates)	Banknote	Varieties	Images Size
1913 First Issue	0000.25-19165 Shillings c. 1916		Cerutty and Collins (printed, not issued)	O:George V
	0000.50-191310 Shillings 1913		Collins and Allen (1913)	O:Arms R:Goulburn Weir 194 mm × 83 mm (7.6 in × 3.3 in)
	0001.00-19131 Pound 1913		Collins and Allen	O:Crowned arms, blue with multicolour underprint R:Gold miners underground 184 mm × 92 mm (7.2 in × 3.6 in)
	0001.00-1913a1 Pound (1894) 1914–15		Collins and Allen Emergency issue superscribed note.	O:Allegory of woman with anchor 182 mm × 118 mm (7.2 in × 4.6 in)
	0001.00-19131 Pound 1914–15		Collins and Allen Emergency issue note	O:Black text on multicolour underprint R:Contemporary inscription 184 mm × 102 mm (7.2 in × 4.0 in)
	1000.00-19141,000 Pounds 1914–24		Collins and Allen Kell and Collins (1925)	O:Arms R:Merino sheep in Bungaree 215 mm × 143 mm (8.5 in × 5.6 in)
1913 Second Issue	0000.50-191810 Shillings 1915–18		Collins and Allen (1915) Cerutty and Collins (1918)	O:Arms, blue text multicolour underprint, "Half Sovereign" red overprint R:Goulburn Weir 197 mm × 88 mm (7.8 in × 3.5 in)
	0001.00-19181 Pound 1913–18		Collins and Allen (1914) Cerutty and Collins (1918)	O:Crowned arms, blue with multicolour underprint R:Gold miners underground 184 mm × 92 mm (7.2 in × 3.6 in)
	0005.00-19185 Pounds 1913–18		Collins and Allen Cerutty and Collins (1918)	O:Arms, blue with multicolour underprint R:Hawkesbury River landscape 167 mm × 105 mm (6.6 in × 4.1 in)
	0010.00-191810 Pounds 1913–18		Collins and Allen Cerutty and Collins (1918)	O:Arms, blue with multicolour underprint R:Wagons with bags of grain at Narwonah railway station 165 mm × 102 mm (6.5 in × 4.0 in)
	0020.00-191820 Pounds 1914–18		Collins and Allen Cerutty and Collins (1918)	O:Arms, blue with multicolour underprint R:Lumberjacks at Bruny Island 165 mm × 98 mm (6.5 in × 3.9 in)
	0050.00-191850 Pounds 1914–18		Collins and Allen Cerutty and Collins (1920)	O:Arms, blue with multicolour underprint R:Merino sheep, Bungaree 166 mm × 102 mm (6.5 in × 4.0 in)
	0100.00-1918100 Pounds 1914–18		Collins and Allen Cerutty and Collins (1924)	O:Arms, blue with multicolour underprint R:Leura Falls, Upper Yarra River 168 mm × 102 mm (6.6 in × 4.0 in)
1923–25 Issue	0000.50-1923Half Sovereign 1923		Miller and Collins (1923)	O:George V, brown with multicolour underprint, Half Sovereign overprint R:Goulburn Weir 180 mm × 78 mm (7.1 in × 3.1 in)
	0001.00-19231 Pound 1923		Miller and Collins	O:George V, olive-green with multicolor underprint R:Cook's landing at Botany Bay 180 mm × 78 mm (7.1 in × 3.1 in)
	0005.00-19245 Pounds 1924–27		Kell and Collins (1924) Kell and Heathershaw (1927)	O:George V, blue with multicolour underprint R:Hawkesbury River landscape 180 mm × 78 mm (7.1 in × 3.1 in)
	0010.00-192510 Pounds 1925		Kell and Collins (specimen only)	O:George V, red with multicolour underprint R:Wagons with bags of grain 180 mm × 78 mm (7.1 in × 3.1 in)
1926–27 Issue	0000.50-1926Half Sovereign 1926–33		Kell and Collins (1926) Kell and Heathershaw (1927) Riddle and Heathershaw (1928) Riddle and Sheehan (1933)	O:George V, brown with multicolour underprint, Half Sovereign overprint R:Goulburn Weir 180 mm × 78 mm (7.1 in × 3.1 in)
	0001.00-19261 Pound 1926–32		Kell and Collins (1926) Kell and Heathershaw (1927) Riddle and Heathershaw (1927) Riddle and Sheehan (1932)	O:George V, olive-green with multicolor underprint R:Cook's landing at Botany Bay 180 mm × 78 mm (7.1 in × 3.1 in)
	0005.00-19275 Pounds 1927–32		Riddle and Heathershaw (1927) Riddle and Sheehan (1932)	O:George V, blue with multicolour underprint R:Hawkesbury River landscape 180 mm × 78 mm (7.1 in × 3.1 in)
	0010.00-192510 Pounds 1925–33		Kell and Collins (1925) Riddle and Heathershaw (1925) Riddle and Sheehan (1933)	O:George V, red with multicolour underprint R:wagons with bags of grain at Narwonah railway station 180 mm × 77 mm (7.1 in × 3.0 in)
1933–34 Issue	0000.50-193310 Shillings 1933		Riddle and Sheehan (1933)	O:George V, brown with multicolour underprint R:manufacturing allegory WM:Edward VIII as Prince of Wales 155 mm × 81 mm (6.1 in × 3.2 in)
	0000.50-193410 Shillings 1934		Riddle and Sheehan (1934)	O:George V, brown with multicolour underprint, overprint Ten Shillings R:manufacturing allegory WM:Edward VIII as Prince of Wales 155 mm × 81 mm (6.1 in × 3.2 in)
	0000.50-193610 Shillings 1936–39		Riddle and Sheehan (1936)	O:George V, orange with multicolour underprint, overprint Ten Shillings R:manufacturing allegory WM:Edward VIII as Prince of Wales, size reduced 137 mm × 76 mm (5.4 in × 3.0 in)
	0001.00-19331 Pound 1933–38		Riddle and Sheehan	O:George V, green with multicolour underprint R:shepherds with sheep WM:Edward VIII as Prince of Wales 155 mm × 79 mm (6.1 in × 3.1 in)
	0005.00-19335 Pounds 1933–39		Riddle and Sheehan	O:George V, blue with multicolour underprint R:dock workers with barrels and sacks WM:Edward VIII as Prince of Wales 181 mm × 79 mm (7.1 in × 3.1 in)
	0010.00-193410 Pounds 1934–39		Riddle and Sheehan	O:George V, red with multicolour underprint R:allegory of agriculture WM:Edward VIII as Prince of Wales 181 mm × 79 mm (7.1 in × 3.1 in)
1938–40 Issue	0000.25-19465 Shillings 1946		Armitage and McFarlane (not Issued)	O:George VI, black with red-brown underprint R:Australian crown coin
	0000.50-193910 Shillings 1939–54		Sheehan and McFarlane (1939) Armitage and McFarlane (1942) Coombs and Watt (1949) Coombs and Wilson (1952)	O:George VI, orange with multicolour underprint R:allegory of manufacturers WM:Captain James Cook 137 mm × 76 mm (5.4 in × 3.0 in)
	0001.00-19381 Pound 1938–52		Sheehan and McFarlane (1938) Armitage and McFarlane (1942) Coombs and Watt (1949) Coombs and Wilson (1952)	O:George VI, green with multicolour underprint R:shepherds with sheep WM:Captain James Cook 155 mm × 79 mm (6.1 in × 3.1 in)
	0005.00-19395 Pounds 1939–52		Sheehan and McFarlane (1939) Armitage and McFarlane (1941) Coombs and Watt (1949) Coombs and Wilson (1952)	O:George VI, blue with multicolour underprint R:dock workers with barrels and sacks WM:Captain James Cook 181 mm × 79 mm (7.1 in × 3.1 in)
	0010.00-194010 Pounds 1940–52		Sheehan and McFarlane (1940) Armitage and McFarlane(1943) Coombs and Watt (1949) Coombs and Wilson (1952)	O:George VI, red with multicolour underprint R:allegory of agriculture WM:Captain James Cook 181 mm × 79 mm (7.1 in × 3.1 in)
	0050.00-193950 Pounds 1939		Sheehan and McFarlane specimen only, not issued	O:George VI, purple with multicolour underprint WM:Captain James Cook
	0100.00-1939100 Pounds 1939		Sheehan and McFarlane specimen only, not issued	O:George VI, brown with multicolour underprint WM:Captain James Cook (suspected)
1953–54 Issue	0000.50-195410 Shillings 1954–66		Coombs and Wilson (1954) Coombs and Wilson (1961)	O:Matthew Flinders, arms, brown with multicolour underprint R:Old Parliament House WM:Captain James Cook 137 mm × 76 mm (5.4 in × 3.0 in)
	0001.00-19541 Pound 1954–60		Coombs and Wilson	O:Elizabeth II, arms, green with multicolour underprint R:Charles Sturt and Hamilton Hume WM:Captain James Cook 156 mm × 81 mm (6.1 in × 3.2 in)
	0005.00-19545 Pounds 1954–59		Coombs and Wilson	O:Sir John Franklin, arms, blue on multicolour underprint R:bull and cow's head, sheep WM:Captain James Cook 167 mm × 79 mm (6.6 in × 3.1 in)
	0010.00-195410 Pounds 1954–59		Coombs and Wilson	O:Gov. Arthur Phillip, arms, red and black with multicolour underprint R:allegory of woman with compass, science and industry 181 mm × 79 mm (7.1 in × 3.1 in)
1960–61 Issue	0005.00-19605 Pounds 1960–65		Coombs and Wilson	O: Sir John Franklin, arms, black on blue underprint R:bull and cow's head, sheep WM:Captain James Cook 167 mm × 79 mm (6.6 in × 3.1 in)
	0010.00-196010 Pounds 1960–65		Coombs and Wilson	O:Gov. Arthur Phillip, arms, black with red underprint R:allegory of woman with compass, science and industry WM:Captain James Cook 181 mm × 79 mm (7.1 in × 3.1 in)