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5 Pounds Bank of New South Wales
| Issuer | Bank of New South Wales |
|---|---|
| Year | 1890-1921 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Central vignette of a seated allegorical figure of Commerce facing right, with sheep and sailing ships in the background. Denomination numerals and bank title inscriptions appear within panel borders framing the composition. Text panels at left and right carry the promise-to-pay legend and denomination repeated in words. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Plain reverse with a blue guilloche circle in each corner and a blue guilloche oval at centre, printed on unadorned paper without additional vignettes or text other than the numeral denomination. |
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| Comments |
The Bank of New South Wales was the oldest trading bank in Australia, established in 1817, and its private banknotes circulated as a practical necessity long before the Commonwealth of Australia had any central issuing authority. The Commonwealth Bank gained note-issuing powers in 1911, but private bank circulation wasn't finally extinguished until 1910 legislation — and even then, a transitional period allowed existing stocks to remain in use, which accounts for the broad 1890–1921 date range assigned to this series.
Charles Skipper & East handled a substantial portion of Australasian private bank printing through this period. The long print run and wide circulation window means condition varies sharply across surviving examples.