Australian one-dollar note

{{short description|Former denomination of Australian currency}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Use Australian English|date=December 2013}}

{{Infobox banknote

| country = Australia

| denomination = One dollar

| value = 1

| unit = Australian dollar

| width_mm = 140

| height_mm = 70

| security_features = metallic security thread, Watermark

| paper_type = Cotton fibre

| years_of_printing = 1966–1984

| obverse = Australian $1 - original series - obverse.jpg

| obverse_design = Elizabeth II and the Coat of Arms of Australia

| obverse_designer = Gordon Andrews

| obverse_design_date = 1965

| reverse = Australian $1 - original series - reverse.jpg

| reverse_design = Yolngu artwork by David Malangi

| reverse_designer = David Malangi{{cite web|url=http://www.aboriginalartprints.com.au/indigenous_artists_details.php?artist_id=63 |title=David Malangi |work=The Australian Art Print Network |accessdate=7 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706101909/http://www.aboriginalartprints.com.au/indigenous_artists_details.php?artist_id=63 |archivedate=6 July 2011 }}

| reverse_design_date = 1965

}}

The Australian one-dollar note was introduced in 1966 due to decimalisation, to replace the 10-shilling note. The note was issued from its introduction in 1966 until its replacement by the one-dollar coin in 1984. Approximately 1.7 billion one-dollar notes were printed.

Printing

During the note's issue, between its introduction and 1974, the note bore "Commonwealth of Australia" as the identification of country. At least 680,000,000 notes were printed in this time period. After 1974 and until the dollar coin was introduced in 1984, the note bore "Australia" as its identification of country. Around 1,020,000,000 such notes were printed after 1974.{{cite web|url=http://www.therightnote.com.au/shop650/shopcontent.asp?type%3DsignaturePt2 |title=The Right Note – History of Australian Banknotes |accessdate=2010-06-19 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202173213/http://therightnote.com.au/shop650/shopcontent.asp?type=signaturePt2 |archivedate=2 December 2010 }}

Design

The Australian one-dollar note was designed by Gordon Andrews, the design being accepted in April 1964.

The note features Queen Elizabeth II wearing Garter robes on the obverse with the Australian coat of arms. This portrait was based on a photo taken by Douglas Glass.

The reverse of the note features Aboriginal contemporary art, created by David Malangi. The artwork depicts the "mortuary feast" of one of the artist's creation ancestors, Gunmirringu, the great ancestral hunter. The Manharrngu people attribute this story as the origin of their mortuary rites.{{cite web|title=No Ordinary Place: The Art of David Malangi|url=http://nga.gov.au/Exhibition/malangi/pdf/EduKit.pdf|work=National Gallery of Australia website|publisher=National Gallery of Australia|accessdate=21 June 2012|location=Canberra|page=6|format=Adobe Acrobat|year=2004}}{{cite web|url=http://www.aboriginalartprints.com.au/indigenous_artists_details.php?artist_id=63|title=David Malangi|work=The Australian Art Print Network|access-date=7 February 2011| url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706101909/http://www.aboriginalartprints.com.au/indigenous_artists_details.php?artist_id=63|archive-date=6 July 2011}} The design was used without the artist's knowledge. It was acknowledged in 1967 with the release of the banknote, and he was later financially compensated after intervention by the Governor of the Reserve Bank, H. C. Coombs, as well as receiving a specially struck medal.{{cite web|url=http://nga.gov.au/Exhibition/malangi/pdf/EduKit.pdf|title=No ordinary place: the art of David Malangi|work=National Gallery of Australia|access-date=7 October 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304192046/http://nga.gov.au/Exhibition/malangi/pdf/EduKit.pdf| archive-date=4 March 2016}} The payment by the Reserve Bank to Malangi began issues of Aboriginal copyright in Australia.{{cite web | title=Ramingining art centre | website=Bula'Bula Arts | date=20 January 2023 | url=https://bulabula.com.au/about/ | access-date=26 August 2023}}

The reverse also includes a selection of rock art. For example, the group of four figures in the top right corner is taken from an art work found on Injalak mountain, located near Gunbalanya in West Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Security features

The paper design included a watermark of Captain James Cook in the white field; the watermark was also used in the last issue of pound banknotes. An upright internal metallic strip was first placed near the centre of the note, then from 1976 was moved to the left side as viewed from the obverse.

Removal from circulation

The one-dollar note was replaced by the current gold-coloured coin on 13 May 1984 (Monday), due to the longer service life and cost effectiveness of coins.{{Cite web|url=http://www.australian-threepence.com/blog/2009/06/the-australian-dollar-our-mob-of-roos-turns-25.html|title = The Australian Dollar -Our Mob of Roos Coin Turns 25}}[http://www.brisbanenews.com.au "Flashback", page 6, Brisbane News – 11–17 May 2011] These notes can still be redeemed at face value by the Reserve Bank of Australia and most commercial banks,[http://banknotes.rba.gov.au/australias-banknotes/redeeming-old-banknotes/ Redemption of old Australian Banknotes – Reserve Bank of Australia] but numismatics and note collectors may pay a higher price for these notes depending on age and condition.

References

{{Portal|Money}}

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  • {{cite book | title=Renniks Australian Coin and Banknote Values | edition= 19th | editor=Ian W. Pitt | publisher=Renniks Publications | location = Chippendale, N.S.W. | year=2000 | isbn=0-9585574-4-6 }}

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{{succession box | title=One dollar (Australian) | before=Australian ten-shilling note | after=Australian one-dollar coin | years=1966–1984}}

{{s-end}}

{{Australian currency}}

Category:Banknotes of Australia

Category:Currencies introduced in 1966

Category:One-base-unit banknotes