Australian one hundred-dollar note

One hundred Dollars (Australia)
Value:	100 Australian dollars
Width:	158 mm
Height:	65 mm
Security Features:	Clear Window with Embossing, Micro Printing, Slightly Raised Printing, Hold the note towards light and the Australian Coat Of Arms plus a seven pointed star will appear,Ultra Violet, Unic Serial Number and different fonts, Watermark
Paper Type:	Polymer
Years of Printing:	1996, 1998-99, 2008, 2010 [1]
Obverse
Design:	Dame Nellie Melba
Designer:	Bruce Stewart
Design Date:	1996
Reverse
Design:	Sir John Monash
Designer:	Bruce Stewart
Design Date:	1996

Douglas Mawson

John Tebbutt

The Australian one hundred dollar banknote was first issued in 1984 due to inflation. There have been only two different issues of this denomination: initially a greyish blue paper note, and from 1996, a green polymer note. There were 221,842,984 paper notes issued before its withdrawal.

According to Reserve Bank of Australia statistics, the number of $100 banknotes in circulation in June 2005 was 149 million or 18.5% of all notes in circulation. The cash value for these notes was $14,924,000,000 or 41.9% of the total value for all denominations. Only the $50 note had more cash value in circulation. Updated figures to June 2008 were 176.9 million or 19%, and $17,690,000,000 or 42.1%. Again, the value of cash in circulation is more for the $50 note.^[2] This can be explained by the fact that automated teller machines dispense $20 and $50 notes, but not $100 notes.

Since the start of issuance there have been six signature combinations. Two other combinations were not issued.

Since 1973, the main title identifying the country on banknotes has been "Australia". The denominations issued prior to 1973 used "Commonwealth of Australia".

Design

The paper issue has a portrait of Antarctic explorer Douglas Mawson, with a background of a mountain range with a geological strata format. A large diamond shape appears to the left of the main picture. Astronomer John Tebbutt is on the reverse, with a background of the observatory he built and a local church.^[3]

The polymer issue was designed by Bruce Stewart, and features portraits of soprano Dame Nellie Melba and engineer and First World War general Sir John Monash. This polymer note is occasionally colloquially referred to as a "jolly green giant" due to its colour and size.^[4]

Security features

The paper design includes a watermark of Captain James Cook in the white field, and a metallic strip embedded in the paper to the left (on the obverse side) of the note. The same watermark was used in the last issue of the pre-decimal banknotes.

The polymer issue includes a watermark or clear imprint of the Australian Coat of Arms, which is printed over. In the clear panel there is a raised image of the number 100 and a print of the Lyrebird. Also for this issue, fluorescent colouring was added to the serial numbers and a number 100 elsewhere. A star with four points on the obverse and three on the reverse which join to form the seven pointed Federation Star when held up to light. Raised print and micro printing of the denomination name are also included.^[5]

References

1. ^ http://www.rba.gov.au/banknotes/collecting/serial-info/index.html
2. ^ Notes on Issue, Data updated to end June 2008, Reserve Bank of Australia. Retrieved on 27 June 2009.
3. ^ Inflation and the Note Issue, Reserve Bank of Australia. Retrieved on 11 September 2006.
4. ^ Dictionary of Australian Slang
5. ^ Security features on Australia's notes, Reserve Bank of Australia. Retrieved on 20 August 2006.

• Ian W. Pitt, ed (2000). Renniks Australian Coin and Banknote Values (19th ed. ed.). Chippendale, NSW: Renniks Publications. pp. 171–172. ISBN 0-9585574-4-6.