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The Australian dollar (currency code AUD) has been, since
1966, the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including
Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and Norfolk Island,
as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati,
Nauru and Tuvalu. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar
sign $. Alternatively A$ or $A, $AU or AU$ is used to distinguish
it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is sometimes
affectionately called the "Aussie battler"—during
a low period (relative to the US dollar) around 2001 and 2002
the currency was sometimes locally called the "Pacific
Peso". It is divided into 100 cents. All previous issues
of Australian coins and banknotes, including pounds, shillings
and pence are still legal tender.
A$100
A$2
The Australian dollar is currently the sixth-most-traded
currency in world foreign exchange markets (behind the US
dollar, the yen, the euro, the British pound and the Canadian
dollar), accounting for approximately 4-5% of worldwide foreign
exchange transactions. The Australian dollar is popular with
currency traders due to the relative lack of government intervention
in the foreign exchange market, the general stability of the
economy and government as well as the prevailing view that
it offers diversification benefits in a portfolio containing
the major world currencies (especially because of its greater
exposure to Asian economies and the commodities cycle).
First series
The first paper issues of Australian dollars, issued in 1966,
featured portraits of the following persons:
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1 banknote front - Elizabeth II
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$1 banknote back - Aboriginal art
designed by David Malangi
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$2 banknote front - John Macarthur
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$2 banknote back - William Farrer
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$5 banknote front - Joseph Banks
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$5 banknote back - Caroline Chisholm
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$10 banknote front - Francis Greenway
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$10 banknote back - Henry Lawson
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$20 banknote front - Charles Kingsford
Smith
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$20 banknote back - Lawrence Hargrave
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$50 banknote front - Howard Florey
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$50 banknote back - Ian Clunies Ross
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$100 banknote front - Douglas Mawson
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$100 banknote back - John Tebbutt
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