r310a – Mc173a # 1988 Johnston/Fraser Ten Dollar Banknotes

1988 Johnston/Fraser Ten Dollar Banknote

Plastic Issue – First release

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

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

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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