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  • Plastic notes phased in through the 90's over about 5-10 years starting with $5 and $10, going up. I'm not sure the exact year we started going plastic, but it was around then. I don't think we were up to the plastic $20 yet in 1993.

    Paper notes were still pretty common in 1997. I remember finding them annoying because I had to separate them when doing the cash taking for work and the bank didn't like getting paper and plastic notes bundled together.

  • This is interesting story. When did Australia got plastic banknotes? Current one should last forever.

    • When did Australia got plastic banknotes?

      Quick Google says 1988, but it was a gradual roll-out, with the switch not being completed until 1996.

      Fun fact: the polymer bank notes were an Australian invention, and Australia produces the polymer bank notes for several other countries including New Zealand, Mexico, and Vietnam.

      • Nah, the 1988 $10 note was an experimental thing. We went back to paper for a few years after that. It's funny: A quick Google didn't tell me when exactly we made the move to plastic, and paper notes were still common well beyond 1996. I'm sure the information is to be had - but I'm at work and can't devote any time to actually researching this.

    • Oops, I meant to reply to this comment but missed and made a top level reply instead.

6 comments