Australia’s new $10 banknote date announced

Wednesday, 20th September 2017 is the first day Australia’s newest $10 banknote enters circulation, according to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Governor Philip Lowe. This is the second note of the latest generation, following the $5, which was introduced in 2016.

The announcement was part of the new RBA Governor’s Opening Speech to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics last Friday. In Dr Lowe’s speech, it was revealed that the new banknote will continue to star two of the nation’s favourite authors but will also contain additional features for the visibly-impaired.

The previous generation of banknotes made use of ’different lengths, strong colour contrasts and large bold numerals’ to help the visually-impaired in differentiating between the banknotes, but the Reserve Bank of Australia has taken on a new initiative.

The special focus on tactile identification methods may be thanks to a blind 13-year-old South Wales local who campaigned for an upgrade to banknote features for the visibly-impaired in 2015. Starting with a single bump on the five-dollar bob released in 2016 and continuing with twin bumps on the tenner to be introduced this next month, we should also be seeing a triplet of bumps on the twenty, four bumps on the fifty and five bumps on the hundred in the years to come. Talk about things that go bump in the right time! 

Did you know that a slang name for the Australian tenner is Pavarotti? And why not? He’s also a magnificent tenor. But we’re not here to discuss Italian opera… we’re here to talk poetry. "In a pro-cash news article," you ask. But of course! Where else? The lovely face of Dame Mary Gilmore a beloved poet/writer/journalist and the rugged face of AB ‘Banjo’ Paterson writer of poems and ballads, will each continue to be featured on the Australian tenner. 

Now, in the world of cash, literary heroes don’t get all the fauna because the sunny Bramble Wattle (Acacia victoriae) and the whimsical Sulfer-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), will also be taking the flora! Shake your tail feathers, cash lovers! 

Even though Australia was one of the last countries to switch to the decimal currency system, (having still used pounds shilling and pence in 1965), they have since come leaps and bounds within banknote production. 

Now, RBA calls itself a world leader in cash technology, and with reason! Did you know that the Reserve Bank of Australia was the first to introduce the durable polymer note? With the United States, Great Britain, Mexico and more countries jumping on the plastic cash wagon, the Reserve Bank of Australia is now introducing the world’s first clear top-to-bottom window as well as a number of dynamic features that change in appearance as the banknote is slightly tilted.

 Excerpts

RBA Speech: "Governor's Opening Speech to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics"
"...Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to announce that we will be releasing the new $10 banknote next month, on 20 September. Printing of the new notes has been completed at our printing works in outer Melbourne. The new notes contain the same world-leading security features as the new $5 note that we issued last September, including the clear top-to-bottom window, and the tactile feature so that it can be recognised by vision-impaired members of the community..."

RBA Press Release: "Next Generation of Banknotes: Issuance Date for the New $10 Banknote
'In preparing the new banknotes for release, the Reserve Bank has been working with cash handlers, businesses and machine manufacturers to ensure that the new banknotes can be used in a broad range of day-to-day transactions across the country, including in machines that take or dispense banknotes.

'The existing series of banknotes can continue to be used, as all previously issued banknotes remain legal tender.

'Further information on the new banknote, including videos explaining the new features, can be found at www.banknotes.rba.gov.au.'

Read full press release here

Source

Media & Communications RBA. "Next Generation of Banknotes: Issuance Date for the New $10 Banknote." Reserve Bank of Australia: Media Releases. August 11, 2017. Accessed August 14, 2017. Web.