Australian Money

Mom has a friend that lives in Australia who sent me some of their currency. I got a complete set of their coins. I was very excited to get them.

Did you know they don’t have pennies in Australia?

Here’s some info I found out about their money:

The $100 note features Dame Nellie Melba (1861-1931), world-renowned soprano, and General Sir John Monash (1865-1931), civil engineer and distinguished soldier.

The $50 note features David Unaipon (1872-1967), Aboriginal writer and inventor, and Edith Cowan (1861-1932) first female Australian politician.

The $20 note features the Reverend John Flynn (1880-1951), founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and Mary Reibey (1777-1855) former convict, pioneer businesswoman.

The $10 note features A.B. ('Banjo') Paterson (1864-1941) poet, author of Waltzing Matilda and Man from Snowy River, and Dame Mary Gilmore (1865-1962) poet and social reformer.

The old $5 note features Queen Elizabeth II, and Parliament House.

The new $5 note features Sir Henry Parkes (1815-1896, politician and architect of Australian Federation, and Catherine Spence (1825-1910) writer and feminist.

All Australian coins have the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the front. The reverse side of $2, $1 and 50c coins frequently feature commemorative designs.

The $2 coin was introduced in 1988 to replace the $2 note. It features an Aboriginal tribal elder, the Southern Cross and native grass trees.

The $1 coin was introduced in 1984 to replace the $1 note. It features kangaroos on the reverse side.

The reverse of the:

50c coin features Australia's Coat of Arms.

20c coin features the platypus (soon to be replaced with an image of Sir Donald Bradman).

10c coin features a male lyrebird dancing.

5c coin features an echidna.

(2c and 1c coins were phased out in 1990)

(www.aussie-info.com/tourist/money2.php)

I don’t have the $1 or $2 coins yet, but I do the $5 bill. Their money is just as colourful as Canada’s.