r310a – Mc173a # 1988 Johnston/Fraser Ten Dollar Banknotes
1988 Johnston/Fraser Ten Dollar Banknote
Plastic Issue – First release |
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Obverse | The ship “Supply” in Sydney Cove |
Reverse | Aboriginal youth with the Morning Star Pole |
Signatories | R. A. Johnston, Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia B. W. Fraser, Secretary to the Treasury |
Size | 155mm [width], 77.50mm [height] |
Composition | Polymer |
Watermark | Polymer banknotes saw the end of the watermark, which was replaced with a Variable Optical Security Device (hologram) of Captain Cook |
Serial Numbers | Introduction of the Two letter & Two number Prefix AB10 – AB33 |
Notes : This note was the first circulation issue Australian polymer banknote. The first printing had a thin, smooth varnish over the hologram which rapidly rubbed off when used. Printing was stopped when the problem was identified.
All first printing [general circulation] notes have a serial number prefix between AB10 and AB 33 with the first two digits of the number being 93, 94 or 96 [AB 33 965070].
An Elaborate Field Test
Much was riding on the $10 note circulating in a satisfactory manner – over $20 million had been sunk into research and production costs in this technology over two decades, with the intention that Australia would eventually convert it’s entire circulating currency to the new “plastic fantastic” notes, after which the technology would then be exported the world over.
No less than 11 distinct varieties have been identified, the rarest of them has a catalogue value of $38,000. Refer to table at the end of this excellent article for a complete list.
Auction Prices | ||||||
Fine | VF | EF | aUNC | CFU | ||
2014 | 18 | 29 | 46 | |||
2015 | 15 | 33 | ||||
2016 | [27]28 | [30]42 | 45 | |||
2017 | [19]20 | [23]29 | 35 | |||
2018 | [17]20 | [18]24 | [24]31 | [21]74 | [54]78 | |
2019 | 31 |
First serial prefix AB10 # r310aF – Mc173a/1 |
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Auction Prices | ||||||
Fine | VF | EF | aUNC | CFU | ||
2014 | 400 | |||||
2015 | ||||||
2016 | ||||||
2017 | 33 | [113]259 | ||||
2018 | [60]66 | [79]109 | ||||
2019 |
Last serial prefix AB33 # r310aL – Mc173a/2 |
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Auction Prices | ||||||
Fine | VF | EF | aUNC | CFU | ||
2014 | 315 | [180]431 | ||||
2015 | 180 | |||||
2016 | ||||||
2017 | [469]1,430 | |||||
2018 | 289 | 225 | [373]625 | |||
2019 |
800,000 single notes were placed in blue cardboard folders (that were in turn enclosed in white RBA envelopes) and distributed through Australia’s major retail banks. Such notes are identified by the AA serial prefix. Notes with the AA 00 first prefix were the first printed. | |||
Mc $10GF 1 |
RBA Folders |
Standard Serials |
Standard serials are regarded as those that run between AA 01 and AA 22 |
Mc $10GF 3 |
RBA Folders |
Last Prefix |
Notes with the AA 23 prefix were the last printed |
updated: 19/02/2019
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