Leslie Massey
The Australian $100 note was first introduced in 1984 as a light turquoise-blue paper note, with a portrait of Antarctic explorer Sir Douglas Mawson. In 1996, it was replaced by a green polymer note, featuring portraits of opera singer Dame Nellie Melba and World War I general Sir John Monash. The note has a number of security features, including microprinting, a watermark, and a clear window with an embossed image of a lyrebird. As of June 2017, there were 337 million $100 notes in circulation, amounting to 22% of all notes in circulation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of first issue | 14 February 1966 |
| Colour | Turquoise-blue, green |
| Material | Paper, polymer |
| People depicted | Sir John Monash, Dame Nellie Melba, Antarctic explorer Sir Douglas Mawson, astronomer John Tebbutt |
| Microprint | Excerpts from Dame Nellie Melba's autobiography, a letter written by Sir John Monash, excerpts from 'The Man from Snowy River' |
| Other security features | Watermark of Captain James Cook, metallic strip, shadow image of Australian Coat of Arms, fluorescent colouring on serial numbers, raised print, seven-pointed Federation Star, clear window with an image of a lyrebird |
| Number in circulation (as of June 2017) | 337 million |
| Value as a percentage of total notes in circulation (as of June 2017) | 22% |
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What You'll Learn
The $100 note was introduced in 1984
The $100 note was first introduced in Australia in 1984 as a paper note. The note was issued on 31 March 1984 and was a very light turquoise-blue colour. It featured a portrait of Antarctic explorer Sir Douglas Mawson, with a background of a mountain range and a large diamond shape to the left of the main picture. The reverse side of the note featured astronomer John Tebbutt, with a background of the observatory he built and a local church.
The paper note included several security features, such as a watermark of Captain James Cook and a metallic strip embedded in the paper. It also had a transparent "window" with a diffractive optically variable device (DOVD) image of Captain James Cook.
In May 1996, a new version of the $100 note was introduced, this time as a green polymer note. The polymer note was designed by Bruce Stewart and featured portraits of soprano Dame Nellie Melba and engineer, soldier, and First World War general Sir John Monash. The note also included images from the First World War, including John Simpson Kirkpatrick and his donkey.
The polymer note included enhanced security features, such as a shadow image of the Australian Coat of Arms, embossing in the clear window, and fluorescent colouring on the serial numbers.
The $100 note has undergone several updates since its introduction in 1984, with the most recent version being released into circulation on 29 October 2020. This latest version includes tactile features to help the visually impaired community and new security features to prevent counterfeiting. It retains the portraits of Sir John Monash and Dame Nellie Melba, celebrating their contributions to Australia.
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The note features portraits of Dame Nellie Melba and Sir John Monash
The Australian $100 note features the portraits of Dame Nellie Melba and Sir John Monash. Melba was an internationally renowned soprano and one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian era and the early 20th century. She was the first Australian to achieve international recognition as a classical musician. Melba was born Helen Porter Mitchell in 1861 and passed away in 1931. She studied singing in Melbourne and later moved to Europe in 1886, adopting the stage name 'Melba' in homage to her hometown. She debuted in 1887 in Verdi's Rigoletto in Brussels and went on to perform in London, Paris, Milan, New York, and other major cities. Her most famous role was Mimi in Puccini's La Bohème.
Sir John Monash, on the other hand, was an Australian civil engineer, soldier, and administrator. He is widely acknowledged as one of the great Australians and is regarded as one of the country's greatest military commanders. Monash played a significant role during World War I, serving in Gallipoli and on the Western Front. He was in command of the 4th Infantry Brigade during the Gallipoli campaign and later took charge of the 3rd Division in north-western France. In 1918, he was promoted to lieutenant general and given command of the Australian Corps. He is also known for his work as an engineer in Melbourne, where he was an innovator in the use of reinforced concrete. Monash passed away in 1931, at the age of 66.
The inclusion of Dame Nellie Melba and Sir John Monash on the $100 note celebrates the contributions of these two outstanding Australians across the spheres of arts and military leadership, respectively.
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It has several security features, including microprint
The Australian $100 note has several security features, including microprint. The $100 note was first introduced in 1984 as a paper note with a very light turquoise-blue design. In May 1996, it was replaced by a green polymer note, which is the version still in circulation today.
The microprint on the new $100 note features excerpts from the autobiography of Dame Nellie Melba, an internationally renowned soprano, and a letter written by Sir John Monash, a significant figure in the building construction industry and one of Australia's greatest military commanders.
The $100 note also includes a watermark of Captain James Cook, a metallic strip embedded in the paper, a shadow image of the Australian Coat of Arms, and fluorescent colouring on the serial numbers. The clear window features embossing, or a raised image, of the number 100 and a print of a lyrebird. The star's four points on the front and three on the back join to form the seven-pointed Federation Star when held up to the light.
The polymer material of the banknote also serves as a security feature, as it gives the note a distinctive feel and makes it more difficult to counterfeit.
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The note is made of polymer
The Australian $100 note is made of polymer. It was first issued as a polymer note on 15 May 1996, having previously been issued as a paper note in 1984. The polymer note was designed by Bruce Stewart and features portraits of soprano Dame Nellie Melba and engineer, administrator, and First World War general Sir John Monash. The note also includes images from the First World War, including John Simpson Kirkpatrick and his donkey.
The $100 note is part of a series of Australian banknotes that feature different species of Australian wattle and native birds. The note depicts the Acacia pycnantha and the Australian Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae). It also includes excerpts from Melba's autobiography, Melodies and Memories, and a letter written by Monash in microprint.
The polymer note includes a range of security features. It features a shadow image of the Australian Coat of Arms, a clear window with embossing or a raised image of the number 100, and a print of a lyrebird. Fluorescent colouring was added to the serial numbers, and a patch shows the banknote's value under ultraviolet light. The star's four points on the obverse and three on the reverse join to form the seven-pointed Federation Star when held up to the light.
The use of polymer in Australian banknotes began with the $10 note in 1992, and today, all Australian notes are made from this material. Polymer notes offer enhanced security features and durability compared to traditional paper notes. The $10 note featured a transparent "window" with a diffractive optically variable device (DOVD) image of Captain James Cook, making Australian notes the first in the world to use such advanced security features.
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In 2017, 337 million $100 notes were in circulation
The Australian $100 note was first introduced in 1984 as a paper note. It was a very light turquoise-blue colour and featured a portrait of Antarctic explorer Sir Douglas Mawson. The reverse side of the note depicted astronomer John Tebbutt with a background of the observatory he built and a local church.
In May 1996, a new $100 note was issued, this time as a green polymer note. This new note featured portraits of Dame Nellie Melba and Sir John Monash. Dame Nellie Melba was a world-renowned soprano who performed in Australia, Europe, and the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Sir John Monash was a soldier and engineer, and one of Australia's greatest military commanders during World War I. He played a significant role in the building and construction industry and was instrumental in the building of the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne.
The $100 note has undergone several updates and design changes over the years. In October 2020, a new design was released as part of the Reserve Bank's Next Generation Banknote Program. This new note includes security features such as a watermark of Captain James Cook and a metallic strip embedded in the paper. The polymer issue of this design features a shadow image of the Australian Coat of Arms and a clear window with embossing.
In June 2017, there were 337 million $100 notes in circulation, accounting for 22% of the total notes in circulation in Australia. The total value of these notes was $33,689 million, representing 46% of the total value for all denominations. Despite considerations to abolish the $100 note in 2016, the Reserve Bank of Australia has stated that there are no plans to do so.
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Frequently asked questions
The Australian $100 note is made of polymer and is green. It features portraits of soprano Dame Nellie Melba and engineer and First World War general Sir John Monash, along with images from the First World War and John Simpson Kirkpatrick and his donkey. The note also has a watermark of Captain James Cook and a metallic strip embedded in the paper to the left (on the obverse side).
The $100 note is the highest-denomination note in Australia. In June 2017, there were 337 million $100 notes in circulation, making up 22% of all notes in circulation and 46% of the total value for all denominations.
The $100 note features portraits of Dame Nellie Melba and Sir John Monash. Dame Nellie Melba, born Helen Porter Mitchell, was an internationally renowned soprano who performed in Australia, Europe, and the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Sir John Monash was a soldier, engineer, and administrator, considered one of Australia's greatest military commanders for his service in World War I.
