Catalog
5 Pounds
| Issuer | Commonwealth Bank of Australia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1933-1939 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | COMMERCE FIVE £5 |
| Signature(s) | 1933 - E. C. Riddle and J. Heathershaw 1938 - E. C. Riddle and H. J. Sheehan |
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| Comments |
Australia established its own note-printing operation in 1920, ending dependence on British printers — this note is a product of that facility in Melbourne, which by the 1930s was producing the full range of Commonwealth currency in-house. The Riddle-Heathershaw signature combination dates from the depths of the Depression, when five-pound notes represented a substantial sum for most households and saw relatively light everyday use compared to lower denominations.
The Riddle-Sheehan pairing replaced it in 1938 following Heathershaw's retirement. Signature varieties are the primary distinguishing factor between issues otherwise produced from the same plates.