The first new Australian currency note in 25 years was released today, making its way to banks and soon enough into people’s pockets. The new fiver features a revamped design, depicting an older Queen Elisabeth, as well as two new species of fauna, the Prickly Moses and a native bird called the Eastern Spinebill.
Most importantly, the new bill features state of the art anti-counterfeiting technology. Australia’s Reserve Bank spent the last ten years researching, consulting, and testing the new bill to keep up with the forgery technology like specialized software and printing techniques.
The plastic banknote is marked with security features which include moving objects like a bird and a 3D star that spins around once you change the fiver’s perspective.
“The security features on it lend themselves to people tilting banknotes looking for things they can’t necessarily see,” Reserve Bank’s assistant governor Michele Bullock told ABC Australia.
“We led the world in plastic banknotes. We are now leading the world in the design and technology in the way we’ve integrated the security features into this banknote.”
Next on the list is the $10 bill which will be upgraded with similar technology next year.