Australian fifty-dollar note

The Australian fifty dollar note is an Australian banknote with a face value of fifty Australian dollars (A$50). It is currently a polymer banknote, featuring portraits of David Unaipon and Edith Cowan.

History

No fifty dollar note was released as part of the initial rollout of decimal currency in 1966, but inflation necessitated its introduction seven years later in 1973. The original fifty dollar note, designed by Gordon Andrews, has a scientific theme. On the front of the note is a portrait of Australian pathologist Sir Howard Florey and scenes of laboratory research. On the back is a portrait of Sir Ian Clunies Ross, veterinary scientist and first chairman of the CSIRO, along with scenes from the Australian environment.



On 4 October 1995 a new set of polymer banknotes were released, these were immediately nicknamed 'pineapples'. Designed by Brian Sadgrove, the new fifty dollar note features a portrait of Indigenous Australian author and inventor David Unaipon on the front, along with drawings from one of his inventions, and an extract from the original manuscript of his Legendary Tales of the Australian Aborigines. On the back is a portrait of Edith Cowan, first female member of any Australian parliament, along with a picture of Western Australia's original Parliament House, and an illustration of a foster mother and children.

Security features

There is a clear window on the banknote with the southern cross on it, the number 50 is also raised on the clear...
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