Paper Decimal Notes

Australia issued paper decimal notes between 1966 and 1996, so most young teenagers today will have never seen a paper $5, let alone any of the old $1 and $2 notes.

Literally billions of dollars worth of notes were produced in the 30 years prior to polymer taking over completely, so even today the number of notes still in existence is in the millions. The chart below shows just how many of each denomination was printed, and how many remain in existence today:

With totals this large, it’s hardly surprising that most paper decimal notes are worth no more than their face value, unless they’re one of the rare types and / or are in perfect condition. Which notes are the rare types then?

They can be broken down into three main categories:

1. Rare Signature Combinations;

2. First Prefix Notes;

3. Star Replacement Notes.