Australian Twenty Dollar note 2006 Reserve Bank of Australia
A lovely polymer note with a solid serial number of AA 06 666666.Obverse: Portrait of Mary Reibey with an early colonial building and sailing ship including her signature; Microprinting; See-through registration device; Clear window – vignette of a compass.
Reverse: Portrait of John Flynn with features of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia of a De Havilland DH.50 biplane victory supplied by Qantas, medical instruments, Coledge Harland (the man on the camel), who was a missionary to the inland people of Australia. His signature is included. A compass is in the clear window with the raised 20 lettering.
These famous people are depicted against a definite red background.
Colouration is said to be red but has been debated many times over the years, some people incorrectly claim it is of orange pigmentation. Official documentation states that the colour of the twenty dollar note is predominately red. This polymer note is occasionally colloquially referred to as a "Red Back" after the Australian spider species of the same name.
The $20 Banknote
Date of First Issue: 31 October 1994
Size: 65mm by 144mm
Designer: Garry Emery
Obverse
Portrait of Mary Reibey: This image is based on a miniature watercolour painted on ivory that is held at the State Library of New South Wales. It is the only known portrait of pioneer businesswoman Mary Reibey.Sailing ship - Schooner Mercury: The schooner Mercury was completed in Sydney in 1806. It was owned for a time by Mary Reibey. This image is based on an illustration commissioned by the Reserve Bank in 1993.
Building: This building in Sydney's George Street was once owned by Mary Reibey and comprised shops and dwellings. The image is based on an illustration in a book entitled Sydney in 1848.
Microprinting: Microprint is very small but well-defined text that usually requires a magnifying glass to read. The words ‘TWENTY DOLLARS’ are microprinted on the $20 banknote.
See-through registration device: When the banknote is held up to the light, a seven-pointed star within a circle is formed by four points on one side of the banknote combining perfectly with three points on the other side.
Clear window – vignette of a compass: On all genuine banknotes the window should be very clear and look like it's an integral part of the banknote, not an addition. Inside the clear window on the $20 banknote is an image of a compass, along with embossing of the number ‘20’.
Reverse
Portrait of Reverend John Flynn: This portrait of Reverend John Flynn, founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, is based on an original photograph held by the National Library of Australia.Air ambulance Victory: The air ambulance Victory flew the first Flying Doctor mission from Cloncurry, Queensland, on 17 May 1928 after Qantas entered into a unique venture with Reverend John Flynn of the Australian Inland Mission Service.
Pedal generator: This is an interpretation of one of the first pedal-powered generators to operate the transceiver wireless sets, the sole method of communication on outback stations.
Camel and rider (Flynn boundary rider): This image is based on a photograph taken of Reverend Col Harland in 1919 and provided by the National Library of Australia. Reverend John Flynn purchased five camels in 1913 for his ‘Patrol Padres’, who undertook mission work throughout central Australia.
Shadow Image: close up of shadow image on $20 note. When the banknote is held up to the light, an image of the Australian Coat of Arms can be seen faintly, under other printing.