Klazzik Numismatics Australian Banknote Price Guide
Australian Twenty Dollar Banknote Price Guide
This complete guide follows Australian Twenty Dollar banknotes from the first decimal paper issue in 1966 through the standard polymer series and the Next Generation issues to 2020.
Issues are identified by signatures, prefixes, star replacement notes, security-thread and serial-number varieties, polymer design changes and recognised first and last prefixes, with collector values by grade.
Values are shown in Australian dollars as general collector guides. Originality, centring, surface condition, folds, scratches, stains, ink loss and other defects can materially affect the value of an individual note.
1966-1974 TWENTY DOLLAR SERIES
Series Background
Approximately 146,960,000 Twenty Dollar notes were printed across the 1966-1974 period.
The paper Twenty Dollar note features Sir Charles Kingsford Smith (1897-1935) on the obverse and Lawrence Hargrave (1850-1915) on the reverse. The note is approximately 160 × 81 mm, with red and yellow as its principal colours.
Star replacement notes did not commence until about 1971 and the series finished in 1972. The supplied reference records only 62,500 star notes, all carrying the prefix ZXA.
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1966 ISSUE
R4011966 Twenty Dollars - Coombs & Wilson
The first decimal Twenty Dollar note carries the signatures of H. C. Coombs and Roland Wilson. The first $20 prefix and last signature prefix are recognised separately.
Issue Identification
R401 Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix / variety detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R401 | Coombs / Wilson - regular issue | $27 | $39 | $58 | $82 | $145 |
| R401F | First $20 prefix XAA | $68 | $130 | $256 | $386 | $651 |
| R401L | Last signature prefix XBP | $72 | $145 | $280 | $410 | $676 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1967 ISSUE
R4021967 Twenty Dollars - Coombs & Randall
The 1967 issue combines the signatures of H. C. Coombs and Richard Randall. This signature combination is substantially scarcer than the surrounding issues.
Issue Identification
R402 Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix / variety detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R402 | Coombs / Randall - regular issue | $338 | $965 | $1,689 | $3,522 | $5,066 |
| R402F | First signature prefix XBQ | $362 | $1,062 | $1,882 | $3,715 | $7,720 |
| R402L | Last signature prefix XBS | $483 | $1,351 | $2,557 | $4,101 | $8,685 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1968 ISSUE
R4031968 Twenty Dollars - Phillips & Randall
The 1968 issue changes to the signatures of J. G. Phillips and Richard Randall. First and last signature prefixes are separately recognised.
Issue Identification
R403 Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix / variety detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R403 | Phillips / Randall - regular issue | $43 | $97 | $193 | $270 | $386 |
| R403F | First signature prefix XBS | $121 | $241 | $362 | $458 | $772 |
| R403L | Last signature prefix XEU | $116 | $193 | $314 | $410 | $700 |
Star replacement note obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
STAR REPLACEMENT NOTE
R403S1968 Phillips & Randall Twenty Dollar Star Note
The supplied reference records only one recognised Twenty Dollar star-note prefix for this series: ZXA. It also notes that these star notes did not commence until about 1971 even though they carry the Phillips & Randall signature combination.
Star Note Identification
R403S Star Note Collector Values
| Reference | Star prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R403S | Star replacement note - prefix ZXA only | $1,206 | $3,715 | $12,063 | $21,713 | $30,398 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1972 ISSUE
R4041972 Twenty Dollars - Phillips & Wheeler
The 1972 issue carries the signatures of J. G. Phillips and John Wheeler and still uses the Commonwealth of Australia title.
Issue Identification
R404 Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix / variety detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R404 | Phillips / Wheeler - Commonwealth issue | $43 | $97 | $193 | $270 | $386 |
| R404F | First signature prefix XEV | $130 | $217 | $338 | $458 | $772 |
| R404L | Last Commonwealth prefix XGY | $140 | $256 | $386 | $507 | $869 |
1974-1989 TWENTY DOLLAR SERIES
Series Background
During the Knight & Wheeler period, the metallic security thread was moved from near the centre of the note to approximately 55 mm from the left edge to reduce wear and tearing caused by its earlier proximity to the natural fold area.
Serial numbering also changed from Gothic to OCR-B during the Knight & Stone period. Later Johnston & Fraser issues temporarily returned to Gothic serial numbering when the usual numbering machine was not available.
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1974 ISSUE
R4051974 Twenty Dollars - Phillips & Wheeler
The 1974 issue retains the Phillips & Wheeler signatures but carries the title Australia. The first Australia prefix and last signature prefix are recognised separately.
Issue Identification
R405 Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix / variety detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R405 | Phillips / Wheeler - Australia issue | $48 | $106 | $212 | $290 | $458 |
| R405F | First Australia prefix XGY | $290 | $531 | $820 | $1,206 | $2,220 |
| R405L | Last signature prefix XLH | $154 | $265 | $362 | $458 | $820 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1976 ISSUE
R4061976 Twenty Dollars - Knight & Wheeler
The 1976 Knight & Wheeler issue is divided by security-thread position. Centre-thread and side-thread notes have separate references and prefix listings.
Issue Identification
R406 Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix / variety detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R406a | Knight / Wheeler - centre thread | $43 | $82 | $169 | $222 | $386 |
| R406aF | First signature prefix, centre thread - XLJ | $121 | $193 | $314 | $434 | $651 |
| R406aL | Last prefix, centre thread - XSU | $145 | $241 | $362 | $483 | $748 |
| R406b | Knight / Wheeler - side thread | $58 | $121 | $193 | $265 | $463 |
| R406bF | First prefix, side thread - XQR | $579 | $1,448 | $2,895 | $3,860 | $5,790 |
| R406bL | Last signature prefix, side thread - XUZ | $169 | $241 | $386 | $555 | $869 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1979 ISSUE
R4071979 Twenty Dollars - Knight & Stone
The 1979 Knight & Stone issue exists with both Gothic and OCR-B serial numbering. These are separately listed in the reference.
Issue Identification
R407 Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix / variety detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R407a | Knight / Stone - Gothic serial | $27 | $48 | $97 | $154 | $212 |
| R407aF | First signature prefix, Gothic serial - XVA | $130 | $159 | $265 | $386 | $627 |
| R407aL | Last prefix, Gothic serial - VDQ | $145 | $217 | $314 | $434 | $700 |
| R407b | Knight / Stone - OCR-B serial | $37 | $77 | $135 | $193 | $314 |
| R407bF | First prefix, OCR-B serial - VDR | $290 | $483 | $772 | $1,110 | $1,689 |
| R407bL | Last signature prefix, OCR-B serial - VGX | $121 | $241 | $362 | $531 | $820 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1983 ISSUE
R4081983 Twenty Dollars - Johnston & Stone
The 1983 issue carries the signatures of R. A. Johnston and John Stone. First and last signature prefixes are recognised separately.
Issue Identification
R408 Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix / variety detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R408 | Johnston / Stone - regular issue | $29 | $48 | $97 | $154 | $232 |
| R408F | First signature prefix VFV | $179 | $290 | $410 | $531 | $869 |
| R408L | Last signature prefix VQK | $145 | $217 | $314 | $434 | $700 |
1985 Johnston & Fraser OCR-B serial issue. Click either image to enlarge.
1985 Johnston & Fraser Gothic serial issue.
1985 ISSUE
R4091985 Twenty Dollars - Johnston & Fraser
The 1985 Johnston & Fraser issue exists with both OCR-B and Gothic serial numbering. The reference explains that Gothic numbering was temporarily used when the normal numbering machinery was unavailable.
Issue Identification
OCR-B vs Gothic Serial Numbers
Use this comparison to distinguish the OCR-B and Gothic serial-number styles. Click the image to enlarge.
R409 Collector Values
| Reference | Serial style / prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R409a | Johnston / Fraser - OCR-B serial | $24 | $34 | $48 | $77 | $116 |
| R409aF | First signature prefix, OCR-B - VQL | $97 | $140 | $193 | $290 | $483 |
| R409aL | Last signature prefix, OCR-B - EYD | $121 | $193 | $290 | $531 | $724 |
| R409b | Johnston / Fraser - Gothic serial | $82 | $169 | $314 | $458 | $603 |
| R409bF | First prefix, Gothic serial - EJY | $179 | $314 | $507 | $700 | $1,110 |
| R409bL | Last prefix, Gothic serial - ENB | $362 | $483 | $772 | $1,158 | $1,882 |
1989-1993 TWENTY DOLLAR SERIES
Series Background
Approximately 661,970,048 Twenty Dollar notes were printed across the 1989-1993 period.
The source notes that the 1989 R411 Phillips & Fraser combination arose because the incoming Governor, Bernie Fraser, was not immediately available to take up his appointment. This produced a short-lived signature combination.
Several later prefix sequences also include notes issued by the Note Printing Australia (NPA) collector program, including AAA-prefix issues. Some later serial sequences include unusual letter ordering because of the way numbering blocks were used.
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1989 ISSUE
R4111989 Twenty Dollars - Phillips & Fraser
The R411 issue carries the unusual combination of J. G. Phillips and Bernie Fraser. It was a short-lived signature pairing before the later Fraser & Higgins issue.
Issue Identification
R411 Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix / variety detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R411 | Phillips / Fraser - regular issue | $27 | $46 | $66 | $97 | $174 |
| R411F | First signature prefix EVJ | $87 | $121 | $217 | $314 | $531 |
| R411L | Last signature prefix EYD | $82 | $116 | $212 | $290 | $483 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1989 ISSUE
R4121989 Twenty Dollars - Fraser & Higgins
The later 1989 issue carries the signatures of Bernie Fraser and Bob Higgins. First and last signature prefixes are listed separately.
Issue Identification
R412 Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix / variety detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R412 | Fraser / Higgins - regular issue | $29 | $43 | $58 | $92 | $145 |
| R412F | First signature prefix EYE | $87 | $121 | $217 | $314 | $531 |
| R412L | Last signature prefix RKB | $106 | $169 | $265 | $386 | $627 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1991 ISSUE
R4131991 Twenty Dollars - Fraser & Cole
The 1991 issue carries the signatures of Bernie Fraser and Tony Cole. The reference also lists an AAA-prefix issue distributed by Note Printing Australia.
Issue Identification
R413 Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix / variety detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R413 | Fraser / Cole - regular issue | $24 | $34 | $46 | $66 | $106 |
| R413i | Prefix AAA - issued by NPA | $34 | $46 | $68 | $106 | $183 |
| R413F | First signature prefix RHG | $82 | $111 | $193 | $265 | $458 |
| R413L | Last signature prefix ABQ | $159 | $290 | $483 | $700 | $1,062 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1993 ISSUE
R4151993 Twenty Dollars - Fraser & Evans
The final paper Twenty Dollar issue covered here carries the signatures of Bernie Fraser and Ted Evans. It includes a regular issue, an NPA AAA-prefix issue, and recognised first and last paper-note prefixes.
Issue Identification
R415 Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix / variety detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R415 | Fraser / Evans - regular issue | $21 | $34 | $43 | $63 | $106 |
| R415i | Prefix AAA - issued by NPA | $39 | $58 | $82 | $121 | $193 |
| R415F | First signature prefix RZV | $77 | $116 | $179 | $241 | $410 |
| R415L | Last paper $20 prefix ADK | $27 | $39 | $53 | $77 | $130 |
1994-2013 TWENTY DOLLAR POLYMER SERIES
Standard Polymer Twenty Dollar Notes
General circulation issues in this series use black serial numbers. The catalogue directs red-number and overprint issues to separate collector-issue listings.
From the R420 series, the denomination wording and additional security-feature treatment were added. Earlier R416-R418 notes did not carry the names of the featured portraits; the later design includes the portrait names.
The source also notes ultraviolet-fluorescent features on the reverse, including the denomination figure and serial-number behaviour under UV light.
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1994 POLYMER ISSUE
R416a1994 Twenty Dollars - Fraser & Evans
This dated polymer Twenty Dollar issue is catalogued by its normal circulation prefix together with separately recognised first and last prefixes.
Issue Identification
R416a Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R416a | Normal prefix 1994 | FV | $24 | $34 | $53 | $72 |
| R416aF | First prefix AA94 | $27 | $39 | $63 | $106 | $314 |
| R416aL | Last prefix PE94 | $1,689 | $2,654 | $3,619 | $4,584 | $7,238 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1995 POLYMER ISSUE
R416b1995 Twenty Dollars - Fraser & Evans
This dated polymer Twenty Dollar issue is catalogued by its normal circulation prefix together with separately recognised first and last prefixes.
Issue Identification
R416b Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R416b | Normal prefix 1995 | $24 | $37 | $68 | $121 | $275 |
| R416bF | First prefix AA95 | $27 | $39 | $87 | $179 | $410 |
| R416bL | Last prefix DA95 | $483 | $869 | $1,785 | $2,750 | $4,584 |
Reference image supplied for this issue. Click to enlarge.
1996 POLYMER ISSUE
R416c1996 Twenty Dollars - Fraser & Evans
This dated polymer Twenty Dollar issue is catalogued by its normal circulation prefix together with separately recognised first and last prefixes.
Issue Identification
R416c Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R416c | Normal prefix 1996 | $24 | $37 | $68 | $121 | $290 |
| R416cF | First prefix AA96 | $34 | $48 | $82 | $145 | $410 |
| R416cL | Last prefix DA96 | $43 | $77 | $145 | $270 | $676 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1997 POLYMER ISSUE
R418a1997 Twenty Dollars - Macfarlane & Fraser
This dated polymer Twenty Dollar issue is catalogued by its normal circulation prefix together with separately recognised first and last prefixes.
Issue Identification
R418a Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R418a | Normal prefix 1997 | FV | $27 | $48 | $66 | $159 |
| R418aF | First prefix AA97 | $21 | $34 | $58 | $87 | $193 |
| R418aL | Last prefix GA97 | $193 | $290 | $386 | $627 | $1,303 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
1998 POLYMER ISSUE
R418b1998 Twenty Dollars - Macfarlane & Fraser
This dated polymer Twenty Dollar issue is catalogued by its normal circulation prefix together with separately recognised first and last prefixes.
Issue Identification
R418b Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R418b | Normal prefix 1998 | FV | $27 | $43 | $63 | $169 |
| R418bF | First prefix AA98 | $21 | $29 | $46 | $68 | $179 |
| R418bL | Last prefix GA98 | $24 | $53 | $87 | $145 | $483 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
2002 POLYMER ISSUE
R420a2002 Twenty Dollars - Macfarlane & Henry
This dated polymer Twenty Dollar issue is catalogued by its normal circulation prefix together with separately recognised first and last prefixes.
Issue Identification
R420a Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R420a | Normal prefix 2002 | FV | FV | $27 | $39 | $77 |
| R420aF | First prefix AA02 | FV | FV | $29 | $42 | $87 |
| R420aL | Last prefix ME02 | FV | FV | $29 | $42 | $92 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
2003 POLYMER ISSUE
R420b2003 Twenty Dollars - Macfarlane & Henry
This dated polymer Twenty Dollar issue is catalogued by its normal circulation prefix together with separately recognised first and last prefixes.
Issue Identification
R420b Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R420b | Normal prefix 2003 | FV | FV | FV | $37 | $87 |
| R420bF | First prefix AA03 | FV | FV | $24 | $39 | $97 |
| R420bL | Last prefix DA03 | FV | FV | $24 | $39 | $130 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
2005 POLYMER ISSUE
R420c2005 Twenty Dollars - Macfarlane & Henry
This dated polymer Twenty Dollar issue is catalogued by its normal circulation prefix together with separately recognised first and last prefixes.
Issue Identification
R420c Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R420c | Normal prefix 2005 | FV | FV | FV | $24 | $63 |
| R420cF | First prefix AA05 | FV | FV | FV | $29 | $72 |
| R420cL | Last prefix GB05 | FV | FV | FV | $29 | $72 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
2006 POLYMER ISSUE
R420d2006 Twenty Dollars - Macfarlane & Henry
This dated polymer Twenty Dollar issue is catalogued by its normal circulation prefix together with separately recognised first and last prefixes.
Issue Identification
R420d Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R420d | Normal prefix 2006 | FV | FV | FV | FV | $53 |
| R420dF | First prefix AA06 | FV | FV | FV | FV | $58 |
| R420dL | Last prefix JC06 | FV | FV | FV | $24 | $72 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
2007 POLYMER ISSUE
R421a2007 Twenty Dollars - Stevens & Henry
This dated polymer Twenty Dollar issue is catalogued by its normal circulation prefix together with separately recognised first and last prefixes.
Issue Identification
R421a Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R421a | Normal prefix 2007 | FV | FV | FV | FV | $43 |
| R421aF | First prefix AA07 | FV | FV | FV | FV | $72 |
| R421aL | Last prefix JC07 | FV | FV | FV | FV | $77 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
2008 POLYMER ISSUE
R421b2008 Twenty Dollars - Stevens & Henry
This dated polymer Twenty Dollar issue is catalogued by its normal circulation prefix together with separately recognised first and last prefixes.
Issue Identification
R421b Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R421b | Normal prefix 2008 | FV | FV | FV | FV | $43 |
| R421bF | First prefix AA08 | FV | FV | FV | FV | $92 |
| R421bL | Last prefix JC08 | FV | FV | FV | FV | $97 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
2010 POLYMER ISSUE
R421c2010 Twenty Dollars - Stevens & Henry
This dated polymer Twenty Dollar issue is catalogued by its normal circulation prefix together with separately recognised first and last prefixes.
Issue Identification
R421c Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R421c | Normal prefix 2010 | FV | FV | FV | FV | $43 |
| R421cF | First prefix AA10 | FV | FV | FV | FV | $77 |
| R421cL | Last prefix DA10 | FV | FV | FV | FV | $82 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
2013 POLYMER ISSUE
R422a2013 Twenty Dollars - Stevens & Parkinson
This dated polymer Twenty Dollar issue is catalogued by its normal circulation prefix together with separately recognised first and last prefixes.
Issue Identification
R422a Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R422a | Normal prefix 2013 | FV | FV | FV | FV | $39 |
| R422aF | First prefix AA13 | FV | FV | FV | FV | $116 |
| R422aL | Last prefix DA13 | FV | FV | FV | FV | $145 |
2019-2020 NEXT GENERATION TWENTY DOLLAR SERIES
Next Generation Polymer Design
The Next Generation Twenty Dollar series began in 2019. The catalogue also lists 2021 and 2022 entries, but they are deliberately omitted from this Klazzik guide because confirmed examples and suitable images were not available.
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
2019 POLYMER ISSUE
R4262019 Twenty Dollars - Lowe & Fraser
This dated polymer Twenty Dollar issue is catalogued by its normal circulation prefix together with separately recognised first and last prefixes.
Issue Identification
R426 Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R426 | Normal prefix 2019 | FV | FV | FV | FV | $53 |
| R426F | First prefix AA19 | FV | FV | FV | $34 | $145 |
| R426L | Last prefix EA19 | FV | FV | FV | $34 | $169 |
Obverse and reverse. Click either image to enlarge.
2020 POLYMER ISSUE
R428a2020 Twenty Dollars - Lowe & Kennedy
This dated polymer Twenty Dollar issue is catalogued by its normal circulation prefix together with separately recognised first and last prefixes.
Issue Identification
R428a Collector Values
| Reference | Prefix detail | F | VF | EF | aUNC | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R428a | Normal prefix 2020 | FV | FV | FV | $24 | $34 |
| R428aF | First prefix AA20 | FV | FV | $24 | $29 | $48 |
| R428aL | Last prefix EA20 | FV | FV | $24 | $29 | $48 |