Comprehensive Set of Australian Paper Decimal Banknotes 1966 - 1996 Uncirculated
A Comprehensive Set of Australian Paper Decimal Banknotes 1966 - 1996 Uncirculated
Contains 82 notes, 67 in Uncirculated condition (the 15 notes less than UNC are free)
This is a truly premium set that can still be built on in the years to come.
Between 1966 and 1996, Australia's circulating currency notes were decimal, and they were paper.
Welcomed by the Australian Public
Issued to take over from the Imperial currency note system that had been in place since the early 1800s, Australia's first paper decimal notes were welcomed by the Australian public.
Progressively replaced by polymer notes between 1992 and 1996, they are fondly regarded to this day as symbols of Australia's growing maturity and independence.
The introduction of decimal currency to Australia in 1966 is regarded as being one of the biggest challenges faced by any Australian treasurer.
Not only were the Commonwealth Treasury and the RAM faced with the unprecedented logistical challenge of ensuring that sufficient decimal notes were in circulation right throughout the nation following the changeover from the Imperial system on “C-Day” (February 14th 1966), but they also had to ensure that the new decimal notes had the confidence of the Australian public.
There were some grumblings within sections of the community about aspects of the change to decimal currency - some members of the numismatic fraternity felt more could have been done with the designs, while sections of the wider community were incensed by government's initial decision to name the new currency the "Royal".
Despite these misgivings, as predicted by Treasurer Holt, the transition went smoothly. Given the sheer magnitude of the task, this was remarkable.
Minor Changes Made Over the Years
Once settled in circulation throughout the Australian economy, minor changes to the notes were made over the years to increase their longevity; the speed at which they could be counted, and after changes to senior staff at both the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Commonwealth Treasury.
Discerning collectors of Australian paper decimal banknotes have used the following characteristics to identify many different varieties of notes over the years: signatures; serial numbers; font used in the serial numbers; and the position of the metallic thread.
A Comprehensive Set - Far More Challenging to Build Than Most
A complete set of paper decimal banknotes is a truly rare achievement, the real victory comes down to the ability to obtain the rarest notes in pristine condition.
It isn't difficult at all to pick up most of the notes in this set in Uncirculated condition, you'll see that we advertise them all the time. Some though don't turn up very often at all - some we only see once every few years.
The rarest and most valuable note in this album is the Coombs / Randall $20, the Coombs / Randall $10 and $1 notes follow close behind. The good news is, each of those notes are in pristine condition.
We've checked them under the harsh light of truth (an LED torch), and they all passed muster as being Uncirculated quality. There is not a hint of a centre bend to be seen on any of them!
Our review of the entire album showed us that several lesser notes didn't quite meet the same standard - we've identified them and will be including them at no cost.
A Complete Set is Well Within Reach
These missing notes are certainly not impossible to come by in Uncirculated quality, even if it does take some time and patience to track them down.
The market for these notes remains very active, even though it is nearly three decades since the last paper decimal notes were withdrawn from circulation. Collectors in recent years have been paying ever-increasing premiums for paper decimal notes with first and last prefixes, which demonstrates the increasing sophistication that this market is enjoying.
The introduction of the Next Generation polymer banknotes into circulation that took place between 2016 and 2020 will ensure that collecting Australian notes will remain topical for some years to come.
This is a great set for the collector looking to set aside a truly exclusive representation of Australia's currency notes and our economy from the 1960s through to the 1990s.
There is enough missing from the set that it will still require some effort and dedication by the next owner to bring it up to the next level. This is a list of each note that is included in the set:
| ONE DOLLAR | |||||
| YEAR | REF | SIGNATURES | GRADE | TYPE | RETAIL |
| 1966 | R71 | Coombs / Wilson | UNC | $75 | |
| 1968 | R72 | Coombs / Randall | UNC | $695 | |
| 1969 | R73 | Phillips / Randall | UNC | $60 | |
| 1972 | R74 | Phillips / Wheeler | UNC | Commonwealth | $60 |
| 1974 | R75 | Phillips / Wheeler | about Unc | Australia | |
| 1976 | R76a | Knight / Wheeler | UNC | Centre Thread | $30 |
| 1976 | R76bi | Knight / Wheeler | UNC | DBP Test Note | $195 |
| 1976 | R76c | Knight / Wheeler | UNC | Side Thread | $25 |
| 1979 | R77 | Knight / Stone | UNC | $10 | |
| 1983 | R78 | Johnston / Stone | UNC | $5 | |
| ONE DOLLAR SET | $1,155 | ||||
| TWO DOLLAR | |||||
| YEAR | REF | SIGNATURES | GRADE | TYPE | RETAIL |
| 1966 | R81 | Coombs / Wilson | UNC | $75 | |
| 1968 | R82 | Coombs / Randall | UNC | $175 | |
| 1969 | R83 | Phillips / Randall | UNC | $75 | |
| 1972 | R84 | Phillips / Wheeler | UNC | Commonwealth | $110 |
| 1974 | R85 | Phillips / Wheeler | UNC | Australia | $75 |
| 1976 | R86aF | Knight / Wheeler | good EF | Gothic Centre | $150 |
| 1976 | R86b | Knight / Wheeler | UNC | OCR-B Centre | $95 |
| 1976 | R86c | Knight / Wheeler | UNC | OCR-B Side | $30 |
| 1979 | R87 | Knight / Stone | UNC | $20 | |
| 1983 | R88 | Johnston / Stone | UNC | $20 | |
| 1985 | R89 | Johnston / Fraser | UNC | $10 | |
| TWO DOLLAR SET | $835 | ||||
| FIVE DOLLAR | |||||
| YEAR | REF | SIGNATURES | GRADE | TYPE | RETAIL |
| 1968 | R202 | Coombs /Randall | good EF | ||
| 1969 | R203 | Phillips / Randall | UNC | $250 | |
| 1972 | R204 | Phillips / Wheeler | UNC | Commonwealth | $195 |
| 1974 | R205 | Phillips / Wheeler | UNC | Australia | $195 |
| 1976 | R206a | Knight / Wheeler | UNC | Gothic Centre | $75 |
| 1976 | R206b | Knight / Wheeler | good EF | Gothic Side | |
| 1976 | R206c | Knight / Wheeler | UNC | OCR-B Side | $45 |
| 1979 | R207 | Knight / Stone | UNC | $30 | |
| 1983 | R208 | Johnston / Stone | good EF | ||
| 1985 | R209a | Johnston / Fraser | UNC | OCR-B | $20 |
| 1988 | R209b | Johnston / Fraser | UNC | Gothic | $50 |
| 1989 | R212 | Fraser / Higgins | UNC | $25 | |
| 1990 | R213 | Fraser/ Cole | UNC | $20 | |
| FIVE DOLLAR SET | $905 | ||||
| TEN DOLLARS | |||||
| YEAR | REF | SIGNATURES | GRADE | TYPE | RETAIL |
| 1966 | R301 | Coombs / Wilson | UNC | $95 | |
| 1968 | R302 | Coombs / Randall | UNC | $950 | |
| 1969 | R303 | Phillips / Randall | EF | ||
| 1972 | R304L | Phillips / Wheeler | UNC | Commonwealth | $425 |
| 1974 | R305 | Phillips / Wheeler | UNC | Australia | $225 |
| 1976 | R306a | Knight / Wheeler | good EF | Gothic Centre | |
| 1976 | R306b | Knight / Wheeler | UNC | Gothic Side | $70 |
| 1979 | R307a | Knight / Stone | UNC | Gothic | $100 |
| 1979 | R307b | Knight / Stone | good EF | OCR-B | |
| 1983 | R308 | Johnston / Stone | UNC | $70 | |
| 1985 | R309 | Johnston / Fraser | UNC | $35 | |
| 1988 | R310a | Johnston / Fraser | UNC | $50 | |
| 1988 | R310b | Johnston / Fraser | UNC | $30 | |
| 1989 | R312 | Fraser / Higgins | UNC | $35 | |
| 1990 | R313b | Fraser / Cole | UNC | No PIL | $35 |
| TEN DOLLAR SET | $2,150 | ||||
| TWENTY DOLLARS | |||||
| YEAR | REF | SIGNATURES | GRADE | TYPE | RETAIL |
| 1966 | R401 | Coombs / Wilson | UNC | $95 | |
| 1968 | R402 | Coombs / Randall | UNC | XBQ 567602 | $4,950 |
| 1969 | R403 | Phillips / Randall | good EF | ||
| 1972 | R404 | Phillips / Wheeler | good EF | Commonwealth | |
| 1974 | R405 | Phillips / Wheeler | good EF | Australia | |
| 1976 | R406a | Knight / Wheeler | UNC | Gothic Centre | $325 |
| 1976 | R406b | Knight / Wheeler | good EF | Gothic Side | |
| 1979 | R407a | Knight / Stone | UNC | Gothic | $150 |
| 1979 | R407b | Knight / Stone | UNC | OCR-B | $225 |
| 1983 | R408 | Johnston / Stone | UNC | $120 | |
| 1985 | R409a | Johnston / Fraser | UNC | OCR-B | $75 |
| 1985 | R409b | Johnston / Fraser | UNC | Gothic | $325 |
| 1989 | R411 | Phillips / Fraser | UNC | $95 | |
| 1989 | R412 | Fraser / Higgins | UNC | $95 | |
| 1990 | R413 | Fraser / Cole | UNC | $50 | |
| 1993 | R415 | Fraser / Evans | UNC | $60 | |
| TWENTY DOLLAR SET | $6,565 | ||||
| FIFTY DOLLARS | |||||
| YEAR | REF | SIGNATURES | GRADE | TYPE | RETAIL |
| 1974 | R505 | Phillips / Wheeler | UNC | $325 | |
| 1976 | R506a | Knight / Wheeler | UNC | Centre Thread | $325 |
| 1976 | R506b | Knight / Wheeler | good EF | Side Thread | |
| 1979 | R507 | Knight / Stone | UNC | $195 | |
| 1983 | R508 | Johnston / Stone | UNC | $195 | |
| 1985 | R509a | Johnston / Fraser | good EF | Gothic | |
| 1988 | R509b | Johnston / Fraser | UNC | OCR-B | $295 |
| 1989 | R511 | Phillips / Fraser | UNC | $175 | |
| 1989 | R512 | Fraser / Higgins | UNC | $175 | |
| 1990 | R513 | Fraser / Cole | UNC | $150 | |
| 1993 | R515 | Fraser / Evans | UNC | $95 | |
| FIFTY DOLLAR SET | $1,930 | ||||
| ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS | |||||
| YEAR | REF | SIGNATURES | GRADE | TYPE | RETAIL |
| 1984 | R608 | Johnston / Stone | good EF | ||
| 1985 | R609 | Johnston / Fraser | UNC | $295 | |
| 1989 | R612 | Fraser / Higgins | UNC | $295 | |
| 1990 | R613 | Fraser / Cole | UNC | $295 | |
| ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR SET | $885 | ||||
| OVERALL SET | UNC | < UNC | |||
| $1 | 9 | 1 | $1,155 | ||
| $2 | 11 | 1 | $835 | ||
| $5 | 10 | 3 | $905 | ||
| $10 | 13 | 3 | $2,150 | ||
| $20 | 12 | 4 | $6,565 | ||
| $50 | 9 | 2 | $1,930 | ||
| $100 | 3 | 1 | $885 | ||
| $14,425 | |||||
SKU: 212837
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| SKU | 212837 |
| Shipping Height | 0.001m |
| Assembled Length | 0.140m |
| Assembled Height | 0.001m |
| Assembled Width | 0.215m |
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