Numbering Australia's notes

[This document has been produced by the Reserve Bank of Australia and has been slightly modified on this page.]

Standard numbering system

Australian notes are printed in sheets. Each denomination has a different sheet size, which affects the number of notes that can be printed on each sheet. For example, there are 45 notes on a sheet of $10 notes, 40 notes on a sheet of $5, $20 and $50 notes and 32 notes on a sheet of $100 notes.

The current serial number and prefix system (known as the Year Dated System) began in 1993. Under this system, each serial number consists of a prefix of two letters and two numbers, and a suffix of six numbers (i.e. AE 05 702698). The two letters of the prefix indicate the position of each note on the sheet. The two numbers of the prefix indicate the year of manufacture. Each note on a given sheet has a different letter prefix, but the same two numbers (i.e., year of manufacture). The six numbers that make-up the suffix also remain the same on each sheet.

For example, the serial numbers for a print run of $100 notes have the following pattern:

From one sheet to the next the range of prefixes remains the same, but the numbers in the suffix fall by one. That is, for a given prefix range, sheets are numbered downwards from highest to lowest, creating a maximum of 32 million notes (1 million sheets x 32 notes per sheet – including the ‘zero’ sheet, which has a suffix of six zeros). The ‘zero’ sheet is usually destroyed.

If the print run in the above example is for 32 million pieces or less, the first and last prefixes would be AA 05 and CF 05 respectively. However, if more than 32 million notes are required, a second set of prefixes (CG 05 to EL 05) would be used. The second set of prefixes could create a further 32 million notes, bringing the total number of notes for the print run to a maximum of 64 million. Again, if this was the end of the print run the last prefix would be EL 05 (as shown below):

If more than 64 million notes are required, a third set of prefixes (EM 05 to HE 05) would be used. Of course, this would change the last prefix to HE 05. This process would continue until the required number of notes for the print run is reached. Consequently, the last prefix will depend on the size of the print run.

Not all denominations are printed every year. The number of notes and the denominations to be printed is primarily determined by the need to replace worn notes and to meet growth in circulation.

The 1992 consecutive numerical prefix system

The first of the new polymer series notes to be released – the 1992 $5 note – used a prefix structure known as the Consecutive Numerical Prefix System. Under this system, the $5 notes (of which there are 40 notes to a sheet) were numbered differently. The first two numbers of the prefix indicated the position of the note on the sheet, and ranged from AA 00 to AA 39. Like the Year Dated System, the serial number of each note on a sheet had the same suffix and, from sheet to sheet, the suffix was reduced by one; creating 40 million notes for this prefix range. A new set of prefixes were allocated for the next 40 million notes (e.g. AA 40 to AA 79). The final set of prefixes used for this print run was AA 80 through to AB 19.

Since 1993, when the RBA moved to the Year Dated System, we have been unable to issue $5 notes with prefixes AA and AB, as these prefixes have already been used under the Consecutive Numerical Prefix System. To do so would lead to the issue of notes with duplicate serial numbers (e.g. a note with the serial number AA05 999999 was first used in 1992). For this reason, using the Year Dated System, the first prefix for all $5 print runs is always BA.

Note serial number information

Year	Denomination	Prefix (from – to)		Serial number range (from – to)		Signatory
2008	$5	BA 08	EA 08	999999	000001	Macfarlane - Henry
	$5	EB 08	HB 08	999999	557001
	$10	AA 08	DF 08	999999	345501
	$20	AA 08	DA 08	999999	000001
	$20	DB 08	GB 08	999999	000001
	$20	GC 08	JC 08	999999	000001
	$50	AA 08	DA 08	999999	000001
	$50	DB 08	GB 08	999999	000001
	$50	GC 08	JC 08	999999	000001
	$50	JD 08	MD 08	999999	950001
	$100	AA 08	CF 08	999999	000001
	$100	CG 08	EL 08	980000	295201
2007	$5	BA 07	EA 07	999999	000001	Macfarlane - Henry
	$5	EB 07	HB 07	420000	000001
	$10	AA 07	DF 07	999999	000001
	$10	DG 07	GL 07	999999	553803
	$20	AA 07	DA 07	999999	000001
	$20	DB 07	GB 07	999999	000001
	$20	GC 07	JC 07	999999	000001
	$50	AA 07	DA 07	829000	000001
2006	$5	BA 06	EA 06	999999	000001	Macfarlane - Henry
	$5	EB 06	HB 06	999999	242501
	$10	AA 06	DF 06	999999	000001
	$10	DG 06	GL 06	999999	812001
	$20	AA 06	DA 06	999999	000001
	$20	DB 06	GB 06	999999	000001
	$20	GC 06	JC 06	999999	790001
	$50	AA 06	DA 56	999999	000001
	$50	DB 06	GB 56	999999	000001
	$50	GC 06	JC 06	999999	235501
2005	$5	BA 05	EA 05	999999	000001	Macfarlane - Henry
	$5	EB 05	HB 05	999999	000001
	$5	HC 05	KC 05	999999	910037
	$20	AA 05	DA 05	999999	000001
	$20	DB 05	GB 05	999999	080001
	$50	AA 05	DA 05	999999	000001
	$50	DB 05	GB 05	999999	000001
	$50	GC 05	JC 05	999999	295501
2004	$50	AA 04	DA 04	999999	153501	Macfarlane - Henry
	$50	AA 04	DA 04	130000	000001
	$50	DB 04	GB 04	999999	572501
2003	$5	BA 03	EA 03	999999	000001	Macfarlane - Henry
	$10	AA 03	DF 03	742500	000001
	$20	AA 03	DA 03	260000	008001
	$50	AA 03	DA 03	820000	000001
2002	$5	BA 02	EA 02	870000	000001	Macfarlane - Henry
	$10	AA 02	DF 02	999999	000001
	$10	DG 02	GL 02	999999	670001
	$20 (a)	AA 02	DD 02	999999	000001
	$20 (a)	DE 02	GH 02	999999	000001
	$20 (a)	GJ 02	KM 02	999999	401001
2001	$5 (b)	AA 01	AA 01	999999	200001	Macfarlane - Evans
	$5 (b)	AB 01	DB 01	999999	160001
	$5 (b)	DC 01	GC 01	999999	000001
	$5 (b)	GD 01	JD 01	999999	630001
1999	$50	AA 99	DA 99	999999	050001	Macfarlane - Evans
	$50	DB 99	GB 99	999999	000001
	$50	GC 99	JC 99	999999	000001
	$50	JD 99	MD 99	999999	000001
	$50	ME 99	PE 99	999999	888001
	$100	AA 99	CF 99	999999	050001
	$100	CG 99	EL 99	999999	000001
	$100	EM 99	HE 99	999999	000001
	$100	HF 99	JK 99	999999	833501
1998	$5	BA 98	EA 98	999999	013001	Macfarlane - Evans
	$10	AA 98	DF 98	999999	050001
	$10	DG 98	GL 98	999999	490001
	$20	AA 98	DA 98	999999	119501
	$50	AA 98	DA 98	999999	050001
	$50	DB 98	GB 98	999999	000001
	$50	GC 98	JC 98	999999	960001
	$100	AA 98	CF 98	999999	444501
1997	$5	BA 97	EA 97	999999	000001	Macfarlane - Evans
	$5	EB 97	HB 97	999999	864001
	$5 (c)	AN 97	DN 97	999999	990229
	$10	AA 97	DF 97	999999	489501
	$20	AA 97	DA 97	999999	050001
	$20	DB 97	GB 97	999999	793001
	$50	AA 97	DA 97	999999	050001
	$50	DB 97	GB 97	999999	000001
	$50	GC 97	JC 97	999999	514001
1996	$5	BA 96	EA 96	999999	439001	Fraser - Evans
	$5	BA 96	EA 96	439000	325001	Macfarlane - Evans
	$10	AA 96	DF 96	999999	850001	Macfarlane - Evans
	$20	AA 96	DA 96	999999	181001	Fraser - Evans
	$50	AA 96	DA 96	999999	373001
	$100	AA 96	CF 96	999999	050001
	$100	CG 96	EL 96	999999	000001
	$100	EM 96	HE 96	999999	000001
	$100	HF 96	JK 96	999999	757501
	$100 (d)	AN 96	CS 96	999999	648001
1995	$5	AA 95	AA 95	210000	010001	Fraser - Evans
	$5	BA 95	EA 95	999999	010001
	$5	EB 95	HB 95	999999	000001
	$5	HC 95	KC 95	999999	233001
	$20	AA 95	DA 95	999999	246501
	$50	AA 95	DA 95	999999	050001
	$50	DB 95	GB 95	999999	000001
	$50	GC 95	JC 95	999999	000001
	$50	JD 95	MD 95	999999	000001
	$50	ME 95	PE 95	999999	000001
	$50	PF 95	SF 95	999999	000001
	$50	SG 95	VG 95	999999	620001
1994	$10	AA 94	DF 94	999999	615795	Fraser - Evans
	$20	AA 94	DA 94	999999	010001
	$20	DB 94	GB 94	999999	000001
	$20	GC 94	JC 94	999999	000001
	$20	JD 94	MD 94	999999	000001
	$20	ME 94	PE 94	999999	820001
1993	$5	BA 93	EA 93	999999	445001	Fraser - Evans
	$10	AA 93	DF 93	999999	010001
	$10	DG 93	GL 93	999999	000001
	$10	GM 93	KE 93	999999	083501
1992	$5 (e)	AA 00	AA 39	999999	006001	Fraser - Cole
	$5 (e)	AA 40	AA 79	999999	000001
	$5 (e)	AA 80	AB 19	999999	222001
(a) Letter I not used in prefixes for this print run. (b) Federation commemorative $5 note (S8); the AA prefix sheets feature different serial number digits for every note on a given sheet. (c) Test notes; prefixes used were AN to AZ, BN to BZ, and CN to DN. (d) Test notes; prefixes used were AN to AZ, BN to BZ, and CN to CS. (e) Consecutive numerical prefixes used for this print run.

Disclaimer

Some of the note prefix and serial number information has been compiled from incomplete records, and it is possible that notes have been issued with serial numbers outside of those published in the above tables. While every effort has been made by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to ensure the information is correct, the RBA accepts no liability for the accuracy or completeness of the information, nor any responsibility for financial loss or damage resulting from use of the information. The RBA recommends that users exercise care and judgement when using the information.