Banknotes of the New Zealand dollar
Encyclopedia
Pre-dollar
Prior to 10 July 1967, the New Zealand poundNew Zealand pound
The pound was the currency of New Zealand between 1840 and 1967. Like the British pound, it was subdivided into 20 shillings each of 12 pence. As a result of the great depression of the early 1930s, the New Zealand agricultural export market to the UK was badly affected...
, using the £sd
£sd
£sd was the popular name for the pre-decimal currencies used in the Kingdom of England, later the United Kingdom, and ultimately in much of the British Empire...
system, was the main currency of New Zealand. Since 1934, banknotes of the New Zealand pound were issued by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand
Reserve Bank of New Zealand
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is the central bank of New Zealand and is constituted under the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989. The Governor of the Reserve Bank is responsible for New Zealand's currency and operating monetary policy. The Bank's current Governor is Dr. Alan Bollard...
, and came in denominations of 10s, £1, £5, £10, and £50.
First issue: 1967 - 1981
DecimalisationDecimalisation
Decimal currency is the term used to describe any currency that is based on one basic unit of currency and a sub-unit which is a power of 10, most commonly 100....
of the New Zealand currency occurred on 10 July 1967, when the New Zealand pound
New Zealand pound
The pound was the currency of New Zealand between 1840 and 1967. Like the British pound, it was subdivided into 20 shillings each of 12 pence. As a result of the great depression of the early 1930s, the New Zealand agricultural export market to the UK was badly affected...
was replaced by the New Zealand dollar at a rate of one pound to two dollars (10 shillings to a dollar). On the same day, new decimal banknotes were introduced to replace the existing pound banknotes, in denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, and $100.
These first decimal banknotes all featured a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, the Queen of New Zealand
Monarchy in New Zealand
The monarchy of New Zealand also referred to as The Crown in Right of New Zealand, Her Majesty in Right of New Zealand, or The Queen in Right of New Zealand is the constitutional system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of the Realm of New Zealand,...
, on the obverse. The reverse featured a native New Zealand bird and a native New Zealand plant. The colour scheme on all but the $5 note (which was an entirely new denomination, worth £2 10s) remained the same on equivalent pound and dollar notes to ease the transition (e.g. £10 and $20 were both green).
Second issue: 1981 - 1991
The second issue of New Zealand dollar banknotes occurred in 1981, when the Reserve Bank changed printer. As a result, the new notes were slightly different from their predecessors. The most notable change was to the portrait of the Queen, which had been updated, and was now facing forward, not to the left.In 1983, a $50 banknote was introduced to fill the long gap between the $20 note and the $100 note.
Third issue: 1991 - 1999
In 1991, all the banknotes except the $1 and $2 notes were redesigned. The new series featured notable New Zealanders on the obverse, with the exception of the $20 note, which still featured the Queen, while the reverse sides were redesigned to incorporate a natural New Zealand scene, with a native New Zealand bird in the foreground.A notable feature of this series was the inclusion of the portrait of Sir Edmund Hillary on the obverse of the $5 note. Hillary was one of the few living non-heads of state to ever feature on a banknote in the world, and this remained true until his death on 11 January 2008.
Also in 1991, the existing $1 and $2 notes were withdrawn after $1 and $2 coins were introduced the previous year.
Fourth issue: 1999 - present
In 1999, New Zealand changed from paper banknotes to polymer banknotes. The change increased the life of the banknotes fourfold, and also allowed new and improved security features to prevent counterfeiting. The overall design of the notes remained unchanged albeit for slight modifications for the new security features.In 2000, a commemorative $10 note was issued for the new millennium.
Fifth issue: 2014
In July 2011, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand announced a new issue of banknotes will be released for circulation from 2014. The new issue will use the same basic designs as the third and fourth note issues, but the overall look will be refreshed and the security features will be upgraded.Current banknotes
These banknotes are in regular circulation as of January 2009.| Value | Dimensions | Main Colour | Description | Date of issue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obverse | Reverse | Watermark | ||||
| $5 New Zealand 5 dollar note The New Zealand 5 Dollar banknote was issued on May 3, 1999. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand issued the note because the note will last four times longer than its counterpart, the paper banknote. The Bank also said the notes are non-porous meaning they don't absorb liquids, there fore they are much... |
135 × 66 mm | Orange | Sir Edmund Hillary Edmund Hillary Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE , was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest – see Timeline of climbing Mount Everest... Aoraki/Mount Cook Aoraki/Mount Cook Aoraki / Mount Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand, reaching .It lies in the Southern Alps, the mountain range which runs the length of the South Island. A popular tourist destination, it is also a favourite challenge for mountain climbers... |
Hoiho (Yellow-eyed Penguin) Yellow-eyed Penguin The Yellow-eyed Penguin or Hoiho is a penguin native to New Zealand. Previously thought closely related to the Little Penguin , molecular research has shown it more closely related to penguins of the genus Eudyptes... Campbell Island Campbell Island, New Zealand Campbell Island is a remote, subantarctic island of New Zealand and the main island of the Campbell Island group. It covers of the group's , and is surrounded by numerous stacks, rocks and islets like Dent Island, Folly Island , Isle de Jeanette Marie, and Jacquemart Island, the latter being the... scene |
Queen Elizabeth II | 1999 |
| $10 New Zealand Ten dollar Note The Ten Dollar bill from New Zealand is a polymer banknote. It was issued in 1999 from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. Two Commemorative banknotes. One of the notes was to celebrate New Zealand's Treaty of Waitangi and was released in 1990... |
140 × 68 mm | Blue | Kate Sheppard Kate Sheppard Katherine Wilson Sheppard Some sources, eg give a birth year of 1847; others eg give a birth year of 1848. was the most prominent member of New Zealand's women's suffrage movement, and is the country's most famous suffragette... White camellia Camellia Camellia, the camellias, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalaya east to Korea and Indonesia. There are 100–250 described species, with some controversy over the exact number... flowers |
Whio (Blue Duck) Blue Duck The Blue Duck is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae endemic to New Zealand. It is the only member of the genus Hymenolaimus, placed in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae after previously being considered part of the paraphyletic "perching duck" assemblage... River scene |
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| $20 | 145 × 70 mm | Green | Queen Elizabeth II New Zealand Parliament Buildings New Zealand Parliament Buildings The New Zealand Parliament Buildings house the New Zealand Parliament and are on a 45,000 square metre site at the northern end of Lambton Quay, Wellington... |
Karearea (New Zealand falcon) Karearea The New Zealand Falcon or Kārearea, Falco novaeseelandiae, is New Zealand's only endemic falcon and the only remaining bird of prey endemic to New Zealand. Other common names for the bird are Bush Hawk and Sparrow Hawk... New Zealand alpine scene |
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| $50 New Zealand 50 dollar note The New Zealand 50 Dollar banknote was issued on May 3, 1999. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand issued the note because the note will last four times longer than its counterpart, the paper banknote. The Bank also said the notes are non-porous meaning they don't absorb liquids, there fore they are... |
150 × 72 mm | Purple | Sir Apirana Ngata Apirana Ngata Sir Apirana Turupa Ngata was a prominent New Zealand politician and lawyer. He has often been described as the foremost Māori politician to have ever served in Parliament, and is also known for his work in promoting and protecting Māori culture and language.-Early life:One of 15 children, Ngata... Porourangi Meeting House |
Kōkako (Blue wattled crow) Kokako The Kōkako is a forest bird which is endemic to New Zealand. It is slate-grey with wattles and a black mask. It is one of three species of New Zealand Wattlebird, the other two being the endangered Tieke and the extinct Huia... Conifer broadleaf forest scene |
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| $100 New Zealand 100 dollar note The New Zealand 100 Dollar banknote was issued on May 3, 1999. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand issued the note because the note will last four times longer than its counterpart, the paper banknote. The Bank also said the notes are non-porous meaning they don't absorb liquids, there fore they are... |
155 × 74 mm | Red | Lord Rutherford of Nelson Nobel Prize Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895... medal |
Mohua (Yellowhead) Beech forest scene |
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Past banknotes
Due to changes in printer, designs, and base material, there have been several designs on New Zealand banknotes. With the exception of the demonetised $1 and $2 notes, all decimal notes are still legal tender, although it is rare to see them in regular circulation.| Image | Value | Dimensions | Main Colour | Description | Date of | Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obverse | Reverse | Obverse | Reverse | Watermark | Issue | Withdrawal | ||||
| $1 | 140 × 70 mm | Brown | Queen Elizabeth II | Piwakawaka (New Zealand fantail) New Zealand clematis Clematis Clematis is a genus of about 300 species within the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Their garden hybrids have been popular among gardeners beginning with Clematis × jackmanii, a garden standby since 1862; more hybrid cultivars are being produced constantly. They are mainly of Chinese and Japanese... |
Captain James Cook | 10 July 1967 | 1991 | |||
| 1981 | ||||||||||
| $2 | 145 × 72.5 mm | Mauve | Titipounamu (Rifleman) Mistletoe Mistletoe Mistletoe is the common name for obligate hemi-parasitic plants in several families in the order Santalales. The plants in question grow attached to and within the branches of a tree or shrub.-Mistletoe in the genus Viscum:... |
10 July 1967 | ||||||
| 1981 | ||||||||||
| $5 | 150 × 75 mm | Orange | Tui Tui (bird) The tui is an endemic passerine bird of New Zealand. It is one of the largest members of the diverse honeyeater family.... Kowhai Kowhai Kowhai are small, woody legume trees in the genus Sophora native to New Zealand. There are eight species, S. microphylla being the most common. Kowhai trees grow throughout the country and are a common feature in New Zealand gardens. Outside of New Zealand, Kowhai tend to be restricted to mild... |
10 July 1967 | still legal tender | |||||
| 1981 | ||||||||||
| 135 × 66 mm | (as today) | (as today) | (as today) | 1992 | Paper version of today's note | |||||
| $10 | 155 × 77.5 mm | Blue | Queen Elizabeth II | Kea Kea The Kea is a large species of parrot found in forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. About long, it is mostly olive-green with a brilliant orange under its wings and has a large narrow curved grey-brown upper beak. The Kea is the world's only alpine parrot... Mount Cook lily |
Captain James Cook | 10 July 1967 | ||||
| 1981 | ||||||||||
| 140 × 68 mm | (as today) | (as today) | (as today) | 1992 | Paper version of today's note | |||||
 |
$20 | 160 × 80 mm | Green | Queen Elizabeth II | Kereru Kereru The New Zealand Pigeon or kererū is a bird endemic to New Zealand. Māori call it Kererū in most of the country but kūkupa and kūkū in some parts of the North Island, particularly in Northland... (wood pigeon) Miro Miro Miro may refer to:* Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization, a reformist Iranian political organization* Prumnopitys ferruginea, an evergreen coniferous tree endemic to New Zealand.* Miro Technologies, an MRO supplier from California... |
Captain James Cook | 10 July 1967 | |||
| 1981 | ||||||||||
| 145 × 70 mm | (as today) | (as today) | (as today) | 1992 | Paper version of today's note | |||||
| $50 | 160 × 80 mm | Orange/Mango | Queen Elizabeth II | Morepork (ruru) Pōhutukawa Pohutukawa The Pōhutukawa is a coastal evergreen tree in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that produces a brilliant display of red flowers made up of a mass of stamens. The Pōhutukawa is one of twelve Metrosideros species endemic to New Zealand... |
Captain James Cook | 1983 | ||||
| 150 × 72 mm | Purple | (as today) | (as today) | (as today) | 1992 | Paper version of today's note | ||||
| $100 | 160 × 80 mm | Crimson | Queen Elizabeth II | Takahe Takahe The Takahē or South Island Takahē, Porphyrio hochstetteri is a flightless bird indigenous to New Zealand and belonging to the rail family. It was thought to be extinct after the last four known specimens were taken in 1898... Pekapeka (mountain daisy) |
Captain James Cook | 10 July 1967 | ||||
| 1981 | ||||||||||
| 155 × 74 mm | Red | (as today) | (as today) | (as today) | 1992 | Paper version of today's note | ||||
Commemorative banknotes
In October 1999, a commemorative $10 note was issued for the new millennium. The note demonstrated the security features that were possible with polymer banknotes, which were being introduced into general circulation at the time.| Image | Value | Dimensions | Main Colour | Description | Date of issue | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obverse | Reverse | Obverse | Reverse | Watermark | ||||
| $10 New Zealand Ten dollar Note The Ten Dollar bill from New Zealand is a polymer banknote. It was issued in 1999 from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. Two Commemorative banknotes. One of the notes was to celebrate New Zealand's Treaty of Waitangi and was released in 1990... |
140 × 68 mm | Blue | The Journey - Socially and Technologically A Māori waka Waka (canoe) Waka are Māori watercraft, usually canoes ranging in size from small, unornamented canoes used for fishing and river travel, to large decorated war canoes up to long... to represent the Māori migration to New Zealand around 1000 AD; binary digits and satellite dish to represent the digital age |
The Kiwi Spirit - A Sense of Adventure Several images representing the Kiwi lifestyle |
A Māori carved face | October 1999 | ||
Security features
New Zealand's banknotes incorporate many security features to prevent counterfeiting. The use of polymer makes the current series of banknotes very difficult and expensive to counterfeit due to the vast array of security features.Some of the security features are:
- There are two transparent windows in the note. The transparent window on the centre right side (when looking at the obverse) is oval-shaped and contains the denomination of the currency (5, 10, 20, etc.) embossed in the transparent section. The transparent window on the left hand side is in the shape of a curved fern leaf.
- There is a curved fern leaf directly above the transparent fern on both sides of the note. When held up to a light source, the fern on one side should match perfectly with the fern on the other side.
- When the note is held up to a light source, a watermark image of Queen Elizabeth II should be seen in the area to the left (when looking at the obverse) of the transparent oval.
- When running your finger across the note, you should be able to feel the raised printing.
- Tiny micro-printed letters, reading “RBNZ”, should be visible with a magnifying glass in the bottom right of the note (in the band between the person and the denomination).
- The images on the note should appear sharp and well defined, not fuzzy and washed out.
- The serial number of the note should be printed both horizontally and vertically on the note.
- Under ultra-violet light, the note should appear dull, except for a patch on the front showing the denomination of the note that glows under UV light.
- The note should feel plastic, not paper.
- The note should be very difficult to tear without the aid of scissors. However, once a rip is initiated, the note should tear very easily.
- The first two numerals of the serial number represent the year of printing (e.g. note AA05000001 was printed in 2005). The Reserve Bank Governor's signature in the top left corner should match the governor in office at time of printing - Donald T BrashDon BrashDonald "Don" Thomas Brash , a New Zealand politician, was Leader of the Opposition, parliamentary leader of the National Party from 28 October 2003 to 27 November 2006 and the leader of the ACT Party for 28th April 2011 - 26 November 2011...
for notes printed 1999 (99) to 2002 (02), and Alan BollardAlan BollardAlan Bollard is the current governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, having been appointed on 23 September 2002. He succeeded Donald Brash in this role....
for notes printed 2003 (03) onwards.
Damaged notes
The Reserve Bank accepts all New Zealand currency for payment at face value. This applies to all demonetised or withdrawn currency, however such currency need not be accepted by money changers as this is no longer legal tender. All decimal notes are legal tender except $1 and $2 notes as these have been withdrawn.Damaged notes are still usable so long as they are recognisable. In particular, the legibility of the note's serial numbers is important. The Reserve Bank website notes that as a rule of thumb if there is more than half a bank note they will pay its full value. In practise banks may pay a quarter of the value for every visible denomination figure on the note, of which there are four. For instance, if a $5 note is ripped in half vertically, two "5" symbols will still be visible on each half, and the amount exchanged will $2.50 for each. To receive payment people can return in the note to any commercial bank or the Reserve Bank in Wellington.