381) New Series/Generation of Australian Banknotes being introduced from September 2016 onwards in a phased manner, beginning with Australian $5 released on 01.09.2016:

381) New Series/Generation of Australian Banknotes being introduced from September 2016 onwards in a phased manner, beginning with Australian $5 released on 01.09.2016:

Common Features of the new Series/Generation of Australian Banknotes:

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has always striven to print one of the most secure currencies in the World and has encountered relatively few very instances of counterfeiting of its Banknotes.

Banknote upgrades: Under its anti-counterfeiting strategies and to upgrade the security features of its Banknotes on an on-going basis, the RBA is once again bringing out a new Series/Generation of Banknotes, the first of which is in the denomination of $5 which has been released into circulation on 01.09.2016 and the next denomination in the Series is scheduled to be released in 2017 and so on.

Some interesting features of this Series of Banknotes are:

a)   All denominations of Banknotes in this Series will incorporate the same security features.

b)    In addition, they will each feature a different species of Australian wattle and a native bird within a number of distinctive elements.

c)   Each denomination of Banknotes in the next Series/generation of Banknotes will feature a different Australian bird.

d)   The portrait of Queen Elizabeth II already figuring on circulating Banknote has been retained.

e)   The new features include the World’s first clear top-to-bottom window and a number of dynamic features that change when the Banknotes are tilted.

f)    Some key design aspects of the existing Series of Banknotes – colour, size and personalities portrayed on each denomination have been maintained, to assist users to recognise the new Banknotes easily as and when they are introduced into circulation.

g)   The next generation of Banknotes also includes an embossed “tactile” feature in their design, to assist the visually challenged/visually impaired users to distinguish between different Banknote denominations. This is the first time a “tactile” feature has been introduced on an Australian Banknote.

h)   The existing Australian Banknote features that were designed to assist people with impaired vision have been retained as part of the next generation Banknote design. These include – bright colours, large and contrasting numbers and variable sizes for each denomination of Banknote.

i)     The lay-out of the elements featured in the top-to-bottom window will be consistent across each denomination in the new Series of Banknotes. These elements are aligned to the specific wattle, bird and portraits represented on each Banknote.

j)    Some of the other security features include: the Federation Star, Rolling Colour Effect, Intaglio Printing, Micro-Print etc.

k)   The Banknotes are being printed by Note Printing Australia.

The new Generation $5 Banknote introduced on 01.09.2016:

The new Generation $5 Australian Banknotes have been released into circulation on 01.09.2016. This Banknote is the first in a new Series, under which all other denominations will also be upgraded over the coming years, and the fourth polymer $5 Banknote issued since 1992.

          The Front of the new Generation Australian $5 Banknote

On the Front of the new $5 Banknote, the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II has been retained, which is drawn from the same source photograph represented on the first polymer $5 Banknote. 

              The Back of the new Generation Australian $5 Banknote

On the Back of the new $5 Banknote, the Banknote depicts New Parliament House and the Forecourt Mosaic, which is based on a Central Desert dot-style painting by Michael Nelson Jagamara titled “Possum and Wallaby Dreaming” and a schematic plan of the New Parliament House. This was based on the design Development Landscape Plan DLP), which was provided by the Parliament House Construction Authority.

The new $5 Banknote depicts the Prickly Moses Wattle and the Eastern Spinebill. The Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) is found in forests and ranges of Eastern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.

The new $5 Banknote has a range of security features that have not been previously used on Australian Banknotes, which will further make it more difficult for counterfeiters in future:

-      The Window: is seamlessly integrated into the Banknote. There are multiple security features contained within the large top-to-bottom window, which is bordered by depictions of the Prickly Moses wattle (Acacia verticillata subsp. Ovoidea). The building depicted in the top-to-bottom window is the Federation Pavilion, which was the site of the official ceremony that marked the proclamation of the Commonwealth of Australia. When the Banknote is tilted diagonally, the different poses of the Eastern Spinebill Bird in the top-to-bottom window are progressively highlighted, making it look as if the bird is flying.

The $5 Australian Banknote is the first Banknote in the World to feature a window that spans from the top to the bottom of the Banknote.

Interestingly, Australian Banknotes start as a clear sheet of plastic onto which several layers of ink are applied. The windows are created by leaving sections of plastic free from ink.

-      Tactile Feature: The tactile feature on the $5 Banknote is in the raised bump on each of the long edges of the Banknote next to the top-to-bottom window.

 All denominations will have different number of bumps to facilitate easy identification. Interestingly, the tactile feature is not in Braille and is also not a security feature.

-      Rolling Colour Effect: When the Banknote is tilted, the colour of the ink changes and a rolling colour effect can be seen. On one side of the Banknote, this feature is within a bird shape and on the other it is within a prominent patch.

The Rolling Colour effect is visible from both sides, as it is printed over a window in the shape of the head and breast of the Eastern Spinebill. When the Banknote is held up to the light, a shadow image of the rest of the bird’s body and legs can be seen.

Images of the Prickly Moses wattle (Acacia verticillata subsp. Ovoidea) are incorporated into the design of the patch.

-      The Federation Star: The Federation Star window is seamlessly integrated into the Banknote. The Federation star is embossed and has a light and dark effect.

The Federation Star is set within a circular window, which has a representation of a Prickly Moses wattle bud (Acacia verticillata subsp. Ovoidea) at the edge.

It is produced during the intaglio printing process. The design is engraved into the metal plate but ink is not applied to that area.

The seven pointed star represents the six states and combined territories which constitute the Australian nation – the Commonwealth of Australia.

The Federation Star can also be seen on the Australian flag and the Commonwealth Coat of Arms.

-      Intaglio: Intaglio printing gives the Banknote a distinctive texture. The slightly raised print can be felt by running a finger across the portraits and numerals.

Intaglio printing has long been used on Australian Banknotes, including on the first Australian 10 shilling Banknote which was printed in 1913.

Intaglio printing is applied under high pressure using an engraved metal printing plate. The Intaglio plates used to be hand-engraved, however, now they are grown using a chemical bath and computer technology.

-      Micro-Print: Micro-print is tiny, clearly defined text that is found in multiple locations on the Banknote. This includes excerpts from the Australian Constitution in the branch in the top-to-bottom window and in front of and in the wall of the Parliament House. “FIVE DOLLARS” is also micro-printed in the coloured background.

The “Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900” provides authority for the powers by which Australian laws are made and acted upon.

-      The micro-print can be produced by using a range of printing methods, including intaglio and offset. 

There are three variations of the $5 Banknote:

a)   On the Front, the first $5 Banknote issued in 1992 shows Queen Elizabeth II and on the Back it depicts the Parliament House in Canberra, the National Capital and the old Parliament House. The transparent watermark window has an image of a “Gum Flower”. The colour of this Banknote is pale mauve and its size is 130 mm x 65 mm.  

     

                 

b)   On the Front, the second $5 Banknote issued in 1995 shows Queen Elizabeth II and on the Back it depicts the Parliament House in Canberra, the National Capital and the old Parliament House. The transparent watermark window has an image of a “Gum Flower”. The colour of this Banknote is violet pink and its size is, also, 130 mm x 65 mm.

c)   On the Front the third $5 Banknote issued in 2001 as a special commemorative note for that year, shows a picture of Sir Henry Parkes and on the Back it has a picture of Catherine Helen Spence. The transparent watermark window is leaf-shaped. The colour of this Banknote is violet pink and its size is, also, 130 mm x 65 mm.

 In 2002, the designs of all Banknotes of this series were changed to include the names of the persons pictured on them, mentioned below their portraits. Withdrawal of existing Banknotes – a gradual process:

The existing $5 Banknotes will be progressively withdrawn from circulation but can be continued to be used as before and all previously issued Banknotes will remain legal tender. There are presently 170 million $5 Banknotes in circulation at present.

Over the next 12 years, it is estimated that over $37 million will be spent for research, development and upgrade of all the denominations of Australian Banknotes.

The current $10 Banknote will be upgraded with new security features in about a year’s time.





Links to Posts on Australia, New Zealand and countries and Overseas Territories of the South Pacific on this blog:

1) Bank of Papua New Guinea: 36th Anniversary Celebrations (1973-2008): A Commemorative Uncirulated Coin Set consisting of a 2 Kina Banknote & a 2 Kina Coin

2) Papua New Guinea: An uncirculated coin set brought out in 1995 commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Independence 

 3) Currency & Coinage of the Soloman Islands: Dollars and Cents

4) New Zealand: New Banknote "Seventh Series" issued under Project "Brighter Money" from 2015 onwards

5) Coinage of the French Polynesian Island of Caledonia (or Nouvelle Caledonie) the CFP Franc  

6) French Institution for issuing uniform currency/coinage for French Overseas Territories in the Pacific and the French Southern Territories of Antarctica: The Institut d'emmission d'outre Mer (IEOM)

7) Currency & Coinage of Samoa: Tala and Sene 

8) Currency of the South Pacific Island Country of Fiji 

9) Coinage of New Zealand: A commemorative coin set issued in 1979 

10) Currency and Coinage of Australia: Dollars and Cents 

11) The Australian Emblem or the Coat of Arms 

12) The story of the Australian Penny 

13) The Legend of the Mutiny on the Bounty: A Commemorative Coin Set from the Pitcairn Islands depicting relics from the Bounty issued in 2009 

14) An Australian $5 coin issued in 1996, commemorating Australia's greatest cricketing legend - Sir Donald Bradman 

15) New Series/Generation of Australian Banknotes being introduced from 01.09.2016 onwards starting from $5 issues