10 Kina larger white background

Papua New Guinea's first banknote series, issued at independence in 1975, was produced by Note Printing Australia in Melbourne — a logical choice given Australian administrative oversight of the territory in the preceding decades. The 10 Kina was the highest denomination in that inaugural set, replacing the Australian dollar at par for the new kina currency introduced on 19 April 1975.

The "larger white background" designation in the catalog distinguishes this from a subsequent printing with a more saturated ground color — a subtle variation that matters more to specialists than the difference in pick numbers might suggest. Watermark security on this series is modest by later standards, reflecting both the era and the relatively low counterfeiting risk in the Pacific island market at the time.