Fifty Dollars 1973 - 1993

1973  Phillips/Wheeler  Uncirculated

Prefixes YAB - YAT  L: $325  H: $360

First Prefix YAA  L: $1250  H: $1500

Last Prefix YAU  L: $1230  H: $1500

1975  Knight/Wheeler  Uncirculated

Prefixes YAW - YBW  Centre Thread  L: $346  H: $450

First Prefix YAV  Centre Thread  L: $738  H: $900

Last Prefix YBX  Centre Thread  L: $694  H: $885

Prefixes YAW - YCY  Side Thread  L: $308  H: $373

First Prefix YAV  Side Thread  L: $738  H: $900

Last Prefix YCZ  Side Thread  L: $694  H: $850

1979  Knight/Stone  Uncirculated

Prefixes YDB - YHG  L: $230  H: $250

First Prefix YDA  L: $556  H: $663

Last Prefix YHH  L: $531  H: $638

1983  Johnston/Stone  Uncirculated

Prefixes YHK - YNR  L: $300  H: $325

First Prefix YHJ  L: $581  H: $700

Last Prefix YNS  L: $581  H: $700

1985  Johnston/Fraser  Uncirculated

Prefixes YNU - YXG  Gothic  L: $276  H: $325

First Prefix YNT  Gothic  L: $581  H: $700

Last Prefix YXH  Gothic  L: $631  H: $763

Prefixes YUF - YXG - OCR-B  L: $436  H: $600

First Prefix YUE - OCR-B  L: $913  H: $1100

Last Prefix YXH - OCR-B  L: $1210  H: $1480

1989  Phillips/Fraser  Uncirculated

Prefixes YXK - YYT  L: $170  H: $213

First Prefix YXJ  L: $481  H: $575

Last Prefix YYU  L: $448  H: $550

1990  Fraser/Higgins  Uncirculated

Prefixes YYW - WDC  L: $277  H: $300

First Prefix YYV  L: $563  H: $675

Last Prefix WDD  L: $613  H: $725

1991  Fraser/Cole  Uncirculated

Prefixes WBU - WGA  With Plate Letter  L: $194  H: $250

First Prefix WBT  With Plate Letter  L: $431  H: $525

Last Prefix WGB  With Plate Letter  L: $456  H: $550

Prefixes WES - WQG  Without Plate Letter  L: $194  H: $258

First Prefix WER  Without Plate Letter  L: $431  H: $525

Last Prefix WQH  Without Plate Letter  L: $456  H: $550

1993  Fraser/Evans  Uncirculated

Prefixes WNZ - WZY  L: $156  H: $272

Prefix FAA [Issued by NPA]  L: $258  H: $325

First Prefix WNY  L: $500  H: $625

Last Prefix FAB  L: $309  H: $388

Prefix WZZ [Issued by NPA]  L: $258  H: $325

It refers to the font used for the serial number. Gothic font is narrow compared to the OCR-B one.

It refers to the font used for the serial number. OCR-B (Optical Character Recognition) font is narrow compared to the Gothic one. OCR-B function was to facilitate the optical character recognition operations by specific electronic devices. It was accepted as the world standard in 1973.

It refers to the letters that can be found on banknotes. Here's where it can be found on a Fraser-Cole 1991 50 dollars banknote.

Starting in 1974, the Reserve Bank added a metallic security thread down the center of banknotes as a new security feature. Because the center position is also the place where people fold their banknotes, they used prematurely. This is why the Reserve Bank moved the position of the thread to the side. The location of the thread (a dark line) can easily be found by looking at the banknote with enough lights passing through it.

LAST UPDATED: 15th July 2025