Design

The current 20 Australian dollar banknotes feature a picture of Mary Reibey, a prominent businesswoman and philanthropist of early Australia, on the front. The rear side of the note depicts Reverend John Flynn, founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Obverse Design

The front side of the $20 note depicts Mary Reibey, along with illustrations of a wattle, an Australian native plant, and an Eastern Spinebill, a native Australian bird species.

Reverse Design

The back of the note features Reverend John Flynn, along with an image of a De Havilland DH.50 aircraft used by the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Background Design

The stylistic background includes intricate design motifs inspired by the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Color and Size

The $20 note is predominantly red and measures approximately 144 mm by 65 mm. It is smaller than the $50 and $100 notes but larger than the $5 and $10 notes.

Security Features

The $20 note includes several security features to prevent counterfeiting:

• Polished window panel
• 3-D feeling of the Australian Coat of Arms
• Number glows under UV lamp
• Micro-line engraving
• Microprinting in the portraits, numeral, and background areas
• Optically variable ink for the number ’20’
• Security thread with micro text ‘AUS’
• Holographic window with a 3D image of a Laughing Kookaburra

Accessibility Features

The $20 note includes tactile elements to assist the visually impaired, such as a set of two raised lines along both lengths of the bill.

Legal Tender

The $20 Australian dollar note is legal tender in Australia, meaning it is valid currency accepted by individuals, businesses, and organizations for payments.

Polymer Substrate

Like other Australian banknotes since the 1990s, the $20 note is printed on polymer, a flexible plastic material known for its durability, resistance to tear, and enhanced security features.

Serial Numbers

Each $20 note has a unique serial number for identification, consisting of two letters and six digits, printed twice on the lower part of the bill.

Signatories

The $20 banknote bears the signatures of the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Secretary of the Treasury, officials whose names or signatures may change over time.

Issuance and Circulation

The $20 Australian dollar banknote is widely used in everyday transactions and can be obtained from banks, ATMs, and other financial institutions.

Anti-Counterfeiting Measures

Several security features are in place to prevent counterfeiting, including a clear window with color-changing ink, a fluorescent patch visible under UV light, and microprinting.

Color Scheme

The $20 note prominently features red and brown colors, making it easily distinguishable from other denominations.

Tactile Feature

The $20 note includes raised bumps along its edges to help visually impaired individuals identify its value.

Design

The current 20 Australian dollar banknotes feature a picture of Mary Reibey, a prominent businesswoman and philanthropist of early Australia, on the front. The rear side of the note depicts Reverend John Flynn, founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Obverse Design

The front side of the $20 note depicts Mary Reibey, along with illustrations of a wattle, an Australian native plant, and an Eastern Spinebill, a native Australian bird species.

Reverse Design

The back of the note features Reverend John Flynn, along with an image of a De Havilland DH.50 aircraft used by the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Background Design

The stylistic background includes intricate design motifs inspired by the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Color and Size

The $20 note is predominantly red and measures approximately 144 mm by 65 mm. It is smaller than the $50 and $100 notes but larger than the $5 and $10 notes.

Security Features

The $20 note includes several security features to prevent counterfeiting:

• Polished window panel
• 3-D feeling of the Australian Coat of Arms
• Number glows under UV lamp
• Micro-line engraving
• Microprinting in the portraits, numeral, and background areas
• Optically variable ink for the number ’20’
• Security thread with micro text ‘AUS’
• Holographic window with a 3D image of a Laughing Kookaburra
• Hidden number visible against a dark background or when illuminated from the top left side
• Fluorescent ink that glows under UV light
• Rolling bar: a smooth steel ball behind the clear window that moves when the note is tilted

Accessibility Features

The $20 note includes tactile elements to assist the visually impaired, such as a set of two raised lines along both lengths of the bill.

Legal Tender

The $20 Australian dollar note is legal tender in Australia, meaning it is valid currency accepted by individuals, businesses, and organizations for payments.

Polymer Substrate

Like other Australian banknotes since the 1990s, the $20 note is printed on polymer, a flexible plastic material known for its durability, resistance to tear, and enhanced security features.

Serial Numbers

Each $20 note has a unique serial number for identification, consisting of two letters and six digits, printed twice on the lower part of the bill.

The serial numbers are printed vertically on the front of the note.

Signatories

The $20 banknote bears the signatures of the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Secretary of the Treasury, officials whose names or signatures may change over time.

Issuance and Circulation

The $20 Australian dollar banknote is widely used in everyday transactions and can be obtained from banks, ATMs, and other financial institutions.

Anti-Counterfeiting Measures

Several security features are in place to prevent counterfeiting, including a clear window with color-changing ink, a fluorescent patch visible under UV light, and microprinting.

Color Scheme

The $20 note prominently features red and brown colors, making it easily distinguishable from other denominations.

Tactile Feature

The $20 note includes raised bumps along its edges to help visually impaired individuals identify its value.

It also has features such as continuously raised print on the portraits, the initials of the person depicted, the words “TWENTY DOLLARS,” and the numeral “20”.

Hidden Number

There is a printed number in one corner of the clear window which is visible only when the note is placed against a dark background or when it is illuminated only from the top left side.

Fluorescent Ink

When the $20 note is illuminated with UV light, areas such as the serial number, the numeral of the bill, and wattle flower appear to glow.

Rolling Bar

Embedded behind the clear window, there is a low, smooth steel ball which goes up and down when the note is tilted.

Background Elements

The visible features featuring the $20 note background include the fine-line pattern of the wattle flowers, the number 20. These patterns are often complex and aim at providing significant challenges to anyone in possession of tools and the desire to replicate the designs.

Watermark

On the front side of the note, there is an image of a woman which, when the note is put under the light and turned, reveals that the image is actually Mary Reibey and a watermark of Mary Reibey is also seen.

Substrate and Durability

The $20 note is printed on a polymer substrate, which is relatively flexible but robust enough to protect the note from wear and tear. The advantages of using polymer-based banknotes are that the material used in the production of these notes is less vulnerable to tearing or moisture and is more durable in general than a paper-based note.

Intaglio Printing

The $20 note can be identified by having intaglio printing, which is a method that gives the bills a raised ink feeling without having to use a magnifying glass. This feature can be noticed on the dairy portraits of Mary Reibey and on John Flynn as well as on other components of the note’s appearance.

Micro-Optic Security Ribbon

The $20 note also exhibits a micro-optic security ribbon from the polymer substrate with other features. Pencil-like symbols called ‘20’ appear when the note is tilted to the right type of ribbon. The existence of such a feature also helps to minimize counterfeiting since most counterfeit products are fake brands and replicas.

Machine-Readable Features

There are other security features placed slightly off centre of the $20 note that can be checked by banking and retail machines. These features help in the authentication and processing of this type of banknotes when used in different cash handling systems.

Braille Feature

There is also a numeral ’20’ with a modified texture to help visually impaired people: