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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