Currency sign: A$

ISO4217 code: AUD 036

Australian dollar division: 100 cents

The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including the Christmas Islands, Cocos Islands and Norfolk Islands, as well as the independent Pacific states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu. Usually abbreviated with the dollar sign ($), but there are other notations: A$, $A, AU$ and $AU.

The Australian dollar is the sixth most traded currency in the world (after the US dollar, euro, yen, pound sterling and Swiss franc), occupying 5% of the world foreign exchange transactions. Popularity among currency traders due to high interest rate in Australia, the relative freedom of the foreign exchange market from government intervention, the general stability of the Australian economy and political system.

Since 1988, banknotes have been produced using special thin plastic rather than paper.

Australian dollar coins

In 1966, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents. The one dollar coin was released in 1984, and the two dollar coin was released in 1988. The 1 and 2 cent coins were withdrawn from circulation in 1991. Cash payments are made by rounding the amount according to standard rounding rules to the nearest multiple of 5 cents.

All Australian coin coins feature the image of Elizabeth II on the obverse and are issued by the Royal Australian Mint.

Australia regularly issues commemorative 50 cent coins. The first was released in 1970 to commemorate James Cook's exploration of the eastern coast of the Australian continent. This was followed by a 1977 coin commemorating Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee, a 1981 coin commemorating the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana, a 1982 coin commemorating the Brisbane Commonwealth Games and so on. There was also a special issue of coins in denominations of 20 cents and 1 dollar.

Australian dollar bills

5 Australian dollars - Elizabeth II

5 Australian dollars - modern and old Australian Parliament building

AUD 10 - Portrait of Banjo Paterson, excerpt from Paterson's poem "The Boy from Snowy River"

10 Australian dollars - a portrait of Mary Gilmore, to the left of him - a portrait of an aged Gilmore, painted by William Dobell, excerpts from the poem "Never shall the enemy reap our harvest"

20 Australian dollars - portrait of Mary Reibey and the schooner "Mercury"

The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including the Norfolk Islands, Cocos Islands and Christmas Islands, as well as a number of independent Pacific states, including Nauru, Kiribati and Tuvalu.

If you wish, you can buy the Australian dollar; it is clearly recognizable by the $ or $A, $AU and AU$ symbol. It is worth noting that the Australian currency is one of the ten most traded currencies in the world and ranks sixth in the ranking, behind such currencies as the US dollar, euro, yen, pound sterling and Swiss franc.

One of the main features of the Australian dollar, which distinguishes it from the entire currency variety, is the use of special thin plastic rather than paper that is familiar to the eye.

The history of the “life” of the Australian currency

The Australian dollar, as a decimal currency, was introduced on February 14, 1966. With its appearance, it replaced the previously used duodecimal Australian pound.

The introduction of a new national currency was initiated by Reserve Bank Australia six years before new monetary units. During this time, the country was developing banknote designs. There was a lot of controversy over the issue of the name. new currency. The name "royal" proposed by Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies did not receive popular support, and the currency was called differently - the dollar.

Traders' jargon gave it its name - "aussie".

The first plastic banknote was released in 1988.

Coin history

With the introduction of a new currency in 1966, coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents were also introduced. 18 years later, in 1984, one-dollar coins appeared on the foreign exchange market. Two years later, Australians began to hear two-dollar coins ringing in their wallets. In 1991, the 1 and 2 cent coins were withdrawn from circulation. Cash payments are carried out by rounding the amount using standard rules for rounding to the nearest amount that is a multiple of 5 cents.

All Australian currency is issued in coin form by the Royal Australian Mint and features an image of Elizabeth II on the obverse.

In addition to the usual coins, Australia regularly issues commemorative coins in denominations of 50 cents. The first such coin was issued in 1970 and is inextricably linked with the name of James Cook and his exploration of the east coast of the Australian continent. Seven years later, a coin was issued to commemorate Elizabeth II and her Silver Jubilee. The 1981 issue of the coin commemorates the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana. The 1982 coins are dedicated to the Brisbane Commonwealth Games. In addition, special coins in denominations of 1 dollar and 20 cents left the walls of the Royal Australian Mint.

You can still buy Australian coins now, even if we are talking about those copies that are no longer issued and have gained their value due to their uniqueness.

Technical and visual differences of coins

The one and two cent coins were first issued in 1966 and were an alloy of 97% copper, 2.5% zinc and 0.5% tin. Each of the coins had a diameter of 17.53 mm, 21.59 mm and a mass of 2.59 g and 5.18 g, respectively. The obverse of the coin depicted Queen Elizabeth II. And on the reverse - a feather-tailed acrobat and a frilled lizard;
Since 1966, coins in denominations of 5, 10 and 20 cents made from an alloy of copper (75%) and nickel (25%) have been in use. A common feature the coin has edged edges and an image of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse;
On the reverse of 5 cents there was an echidna, 10 cents - a large lyrebird, 20 cents - a platypus. In addition to the images on the reverse, the coins differ in technical parameters, having a mass of 2.83 g, 5.60 g, 11.30 g and a diameter of 19.41 mm, 23.60 mm and 28.52 mm, respectively;
Since 1969, a 50 cent coin has been issued, on the reverse of which the Australian coat of arms is clearly visible. The diameter of the coin varies from 31.51 mm to 32.00 mm with a thickness of 3 mm and a weight of 5.55 g;
coins in denominations of $1 and $2 came into use in 1984 and 10988 and became well recognizable due to their depiction of a kangaroo and an Australian aborigine. Coins are made using an alloy of copper (92%), aluminum (6%) and nickel (2%).

Australian dollar banknotes

The first paper notes issued in 1966 were in denominations of $1, $2, $10 and $20 and were equivalent to the previously used Australian pounds. The five dollar bill was issued a year later, after the population was introduced to the decimal monetary system.

Over time (in 1984), the $1 bill was replaced by a coin, and the $2 bill suffered the same fate in 1988. The $50 bill was introduced in 1973, and the $100 bill was introduced 11 years later. All Australian banknotes are the same height but different lengths.

If you have bought banknotes issued after 1988, you will certainly have noticed that they are distinguished by their quality and durability, since they are made of special plastic. The first such banknote was dedicated to the bicentenary of the European settlement of Australia.

The $5 bills were modified three times. The original $5 features a pale pink color, an image of Elizabeth II on the obverse, and a view of the modern and old Australian Parliament House on the reverse. The first such banknote was issued on July 7, 1992.

Banknotes issued from 1995 to the present day have a similar size (130x65 mm) and purple color. In the center of the obverse there was a portrait of Elizabeth II, on the left - a branch of eucalyptus, a vignette with an image of eucalyptus color. In the center of the reverse are the modern and old buildings of the Australian Parliament, on the left is a landscape design of the parliament building, on the right are geometric figures whose outlines resemble the architectural features of the modern parliament building.

From 1 January 2001, a new design of banknotes appeared, which can be recognized by the portrait of Sir Henry Parkes in the center of the obverse, the image of the Tenterfield School of Art and scenes from the work of the Australian artist Tom Roberts, which depicts the “Opening of the First Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia”. The reverse is no less meaningful and includes a portrait of Catherine Helen Spence, her signature and a micro-stamp with the words of the Australian anthem. To the left is the building of the state children's department, to the right are portraits of five historical figures who fought for the creation of the federation.

The $10 is blue in color, 137mm x 65mm, and has a transparency window with a windmill design. The first $10 bill was issued on November 1, 1993 and is still issued today. In the center of the obverse is an excerpt from the poem “The Boy from Snowy River” by Paterson and his portrait. On the left is a vignette with a windmill and a horse and rider; on the right is the inscription "Waltzing Matilda", which is the name of a folk song and the unofficial Australian anthem, as well as running unbroken horses.

In the center of the reverse are excerpts from the poem “Never shall our enemies reap our harvest,” a portrait of Mary Gilmore painted by William Dobell. On the left are oxen transporting wool, a village woman and countryside; on the right is Mary Gilmore's signature.

Red bills have a denomination of $20. Red Australian dollars first appeared in citizens' wallets in 1994. In the center of the obverse is a portrait of Mary Reibey; on the right is a house in Sydney that belonged to Reibey and her signature; to the left is her own schooner Mercury and a vignette of a compass.

In the center of the reverse is a portrait of John Flynn, on the right is a camel and rider, on the left is the Victory ambulance plane, which was Flynn’s means of transportation, a medical diagram “Where it hurts” and a pedal generator.

Yellow $50 bills are 151x65 mm in size and have been issued since October 4, 1995. You can determine the authenticity of the banknote using the transparency window, which depicts the Southern Cross and the number 50.

In the center of the obverse is a portrait of David Unaipon, a diagram of a sheep shearing machine that was patented by Unaipon, and an introduction in his own hand to the story “Legendary Stories of the Aborigines”; on the right is a vignette depicting the constellation of the Southern Cross; on the left is an Australian Aboriginal couple and a missionary church.

The banknote is clearly recognizable by its reverse, in the center of which is a portrait of Edith Cowan, mother and adopted children; on the right is Cowan at the lectern, reading her speech, which was dedicated to the welfare of children and women's rights; on the left is the Western Australian Parliament building.

$100 bills are green in color and size 158x65 mm. In the center of the obverse is a portrait of Nellie Melba; on the right is an image of a vignette with a lyrebird; on the left is an image of the decoration of the theater on the stage of which Melba played in 1902, an image of the actress and Melba’s signature.

Obverse - portrait of John Monash and his signature; on the right - a cannon and soldiers; on the left are the cavalry and the breastplate of the Rising Sun, John and the donkey (image based on a monument in the city of Melbourne).

The purchase and sale of this currency accounts for 5% of global foreign exchange transactions. This popularity is not accidental and is explained by the high interest rate in Australia, the general stability of the Australian political system and economy, and the freedom of the foreign exchange market from government intervention.

Australia is the country where the Australian dollar is in circulation. Other money on the territory of this state can only be seen in banks and specialized exchangers. All shops, restaurants and cafes only accept Australian dollars.

Dollar in Australia: background

This currency was not the first means of payment in Australia. Before the adoption of the Australian dollar, the country used pounds. In 1966, the government decided to issue new money, which was initially supposed to be called simply “royal”, but the name did not take root, and the new currency became known as the “Australian dollar”.

The new dollar had several common abbreviations:

All of these abbreviations are still used today. Preparation Reserve Bank In Australia, the adoption of new money began 6 years before their actual introduction into circulation.

The Australian dollar is now considered the sixth most traded currency in the world. This dollar takes up about 5% of all world monetary transactions.

Since 1988, the dollar in Australia has been printed on the thinnest plastic, rather than on paper, thereby increasing its durability.

One dollar in this state is equal to 100 local cents.

Denomination and design

Today, the Australian currency rate is considered floating. The following banknotes are in circulation:

Five dollars with the image of Elizabeth II;
Ten dollars with a portrait of Banjo Paterson;
Twenty dollars with the image of Mary Reibey;
Fifty dollars with a drawing by David Unaipon;
One hundred dollars with a picture of Nellie Melba.

Australian money has a very rich color palette. For example, $20 is almost entirely red, while $5 is pink.

In the country's currency circulation you can also find coins of 1, 2, 5 and 10 cents. There are 20 and 50 cent coins. There are also one-dollar and two-dollar coins in circulation.

Tourists will be interested to know that banks in Australia are open from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm on weekdays. Payment is accepted in large chains, large hotels and medium-sized stores by bank card. Small shops accept cash only. Tips in this country do not exceed 10%; they are left to taxi drivers much more often than to waiters. It is not necessary to take a lot of local money with you to Australia, because it is not difficult to exchange currency right at the airport or in the center of any large city.

Australian dollar (AUD)- the official currency of Australia (Union of Australia), and some other countries ( full list countries using the Australian dollar, see below). To refer to the Australian dollar most often, especially within countries where it is official currency, the $ symbol is used; the symbols A$ and AU$ are also used. The Australian dollar is sometimes called the "Aussie" and also (within the countries where it is used) the "Pacific Peso".

The Australian dollar is the sixth most traded currency in the world (after the US dollar, yen, euro, pound sterling, and Canadian dollar). Australian dollar, used in about 5% of all world currency transactions, very popular with currency traders due to the relative lack of government intervention in currency market. In addition, the stability of the Australian economy and government plays a role.

The Australian dollar is divided into 100 cents. Banknotes in circulation are in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 Australian dollars. Coins in circulation: 1 and 2 Australian dollars, as well as 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents.

Where is the Australian dollar used?

Australia
Australian Antarctic Territory (Australia's external territory)
Kiribati
Cocos Islands (Australian outer territory)
Nauru
Ashmore and Cartier Islands (Australian external territory)
Coral Sea Islands (Australian external territory)
Norfolk Islands (Australian outer territory)
Christmas Islands (Australian outer territory)
Heard Island and McDonald Islands (Australian external territory)
Tuvalu

Australian dollar exchange rate for today

In the currency converter you can see the exchange rate of the Australian dollar for today to the ruble, the rate of the Australian dollar to the American dollar, and the rate of the Australian dollar to the euro.

A Brief History of the Australian Dollar, History of the Australian Currency

The Australian dollar, a decimal currency, was introduced in 1966, replacing the Australian pound, which was a duodecimal currency. Robert Menzies, the Prime Minister of Australia at the time, proposed calling the new currency “the Royal”. Other names have also been put forward, such as "the Austral" and "the Koala". Although the name "Royal" was initially used, it proved extremely unpopular and was soon replaced by "Dollar". At the time of the introduction of the new currency, 2 Australian dollars was equal to 1 Australian pound. Coins were immediately introduced in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents.

For most of its history, Australia maintained an attachment to British pound, which was explained by the historical ties of the two countries, as well as the attitude towards the British pound as stable currency. Australia then had a peg to the US dollar in various forms for several decades. And finally, in 1983, the Australian dollar ceased to be pegged to other currencies and became a floating currency.

In 1984, Australia introduced a one-dollar coin, followed by a two-dollar coin in 1988.

In 2006, 1 and 2 cent coins were withdrawn from circulation.

Various special and commemorative coins were issued at different times. In particular, special coins were issued for the 1982 Commonwealth Games.

Australian banknotes and banknotes, photo of the Australian dollar

Below are all those produced by this moment Australian banknotes. For each bill there is a photo of both the front and back sides.

Amount of Australian dollars	Front side	Reverse side
5 Australian dollars
10 Australian dollars
20 Australian dollars
50 Australian dollars
100 Australian dollars

The dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu. The ISO 4217 code for the Australian dollar is AUD, but is often denoted by the dollar sign $. Informally, A$ or AU$ is used to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. A dollar is made up of 100 cents.

The Australian dollar is currently the sixth most traded currency on global currency exchanges (after the euro, American dollar, yen, pound sterling and Swiss franc), and accounts for approximately 4-5% of global currency exchange turnover. The Australian dollar is popular among currency traders due to Australia's relatively high interest rates and the relative lack of government intervention in the exchange market. foreign currency, general stability of the economy and government. There is also a prevailing view that it provides the benefit of diversification in a portfolio containing major global currencies (especially due to its large exposure to Asian economies and the commodities cycle).

Story

The dollar was introduced on February 14, 1966, replacing the Australian pound (separated from the pound sterling in 1929). A decimal system was also established for it.

Royal

In 1965 Prime Minister Robert Menzies wanted to call the currency "the royal", although other names were proposed, such as "the austral", "the oz", "the boomer", "the roo", "the kanga", "the emu", "the digger", "the kwid", and, jokingly, "the ming" (Menzies' nickname). Thanks to Menzies' influence, the name "royal" was adopted. Test samples were prepared and printed in printing houses Federal Bank Australia. The unusual choice of name for the currency proved unpopular, and it was later changed to “dollar.”

Dollar

On February 14, 1966, the dollar was introduced at the rate of two dollars per pound or ten shillings per dollar. When originally introduced, it was pegged to sterling at a rate of $1 = 8 shillings ($2.5 = 1 pound). In 1967, Australia actually left the sterling zone for the first time. When sterling devalued against the US dollar in 1967, the Australian dollar did not follow.

Coins

In 1966, coins with nominal values of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents were introduced into circulation. $1 coins were introduced in 1984, followed by $2 coins. The 1 and 2 cent coins were discontinued in 1991 and removed from circulation. Cash transactions are rounded to the nearest 5 cents or downward at the discretion of the seller. As is the case with most government changes in systems money circulation, these canceled coins had too high a cost, which did not allow the Treasury to make a large profit from their issue. All coins feature a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse and are produced by the Royal Australian Mint.

Australia regularly issues 50 cent commemorative coins. The first commemorative 50 cent coin was issued in 1970 to commemorate the anniversary of Captain Cook's voyage along the east coast of Australia. This was followed in 1977 by a coin celebrating the Silver Jubilee of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the wedding of Charles and Diana in 1981, the Union Games in Brisbane in 1982 and the Australian Bicentenary in 1988. Commemorative coins were produced in large quantities in the 1990s. s and 21st century, in demand among collectors. Australia also held special editions of 20 cent and $1 coins.

There are many aluminum/bronze and alloy Australian five dollar coins available, as well as many large denomination gold and silver weight coins. These coins, like American coins denominations greater than $1, or made from precious metals, are not usually used in payments, but are nevertheless legal tender.

The current Australian 5, 10 and 20 cent coins are the same size as the old Australian, New Zealand and British sixpence, shilling and two shilling (florin) coins. In 1990, the United Kingdom replaced these coins with smaller versions, and did the same New Zealand in 2006, while simultaneously removing the nickel from circulation. The Australian 50 cent coin weighs 15.55 grams and has a diameter of 31.51 mm, and is one of the largest coins still in circulation today.

Banknotes

The very first issue of paper Australian dollars was made in 1966. The $1, $2, $10 and $20 notes were exact equivalents of the old pound notes. The $5 bill was issued in 1967, by which time the public had become accustomed to decimalization. monetary system. Before this there was no equivalent of ?2 10s banknotes.

The $1 bill was replaced by a coin in 1984, the $2 bill was replaced by a coin in 1988. The $50 bill was issued in 1873, the $100 bill in 1884, in response to the need for larger denominations for calculations as a result of inflation.

5 dollars
		from January 1, 2001
5 dollars
		since April 24, 1995
10 $
		since November 1, 1993
20 dollars
		since October 31, 1994
50 dollars
		since October 4, 1995
100 dollars
		1c May 15, 1996

Polymer series

In 1988, the Reserve Bank of Australia issued polypropylene polymer plastic banknotes manufactured by Note Printing Australia to celebrate the bicentenary of European settlement in Australia. These notes feature a transparent window with a visually changing portrait of Captain James Cook as a security feature. Australian banknotes were the first in the world to use such features.
Currently, all Australian banknotes are made from polymer.

Australian dollar value

The Australian dollar reached its maximum value of 96.68 US cents throughout its circulation period on March 14, 1984. In 2001, the value of the Australian dollar fell below 50 US cents for the first time, reaching 47.75 US cents in April 2001. February 28, 2008 The Australian dollar reached its highest price in 23 years compared to the US dollar, when it was worth 94.98 US cents. In 1966, when the Australian dollar was released into circulation, the International Gold Standard was still in effect. The value of a dollar at that time corresponded to 980 milligrams of gold. In February 2008, the value of a dollar was 30 milligrams of gold.

Monetary policy

From 1946 to 1971, Australia maintained its exchange rate against the US dollar, as part of the Bretton Woods monetary system, but it was effectively supported against sterling until 1967. After the Bretton Woods crisis in 1971, Australia converted its fixed rate to a floating rate against the US dollar. In September 1974, Australia moved to a fixed rate against a basket of currencies called the trade-weighted index (TWI), in an attempt to reduce the fluctuations associated with the US dollar peg. The fixed exchange rate relative to the TWI was changed to a floating rate in November 1978, which resulted in the actual value of the exchange rate being periodically adjusted. In December 1983, the Australian Labor government, chaired by Prime Minister Bob Hawke and Finance Minister Paul Keating, floated the Australian dollar. Since then, changes in the exchange rate of the Australian dollar reflect its stability in the conditions foreign trade. For decades, Australia has relied on commodity exports (minerals and agricultural products). This caused the Australian dollar to appreciate during global booms and weaken when mineral prices fell or when domestic spending exceeded export earnings prospects. High currency instability, risk of losses when changing exchange rate and the interest rate swap have made the Australian dollar one of the most traded currencies in the world, with trade volume far outweighing the size of the economy (2% of global economic activity).