---
title: "Do you remember the $1 note?"
description: "Introduced in 1966 during decimalisation, the brown paper note featured Queen Elizabeth II on one side and stunning Yolngu bark artwork by David Malangi on the other."
url: https://thedavemalouchannel.com/do-you-remember-the-1-note
category: "Banking and Finance"
published: 2026-01-02
author: "The Dave & Malou Channel"
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
---

# Do you remember the $1 note?

Introduced in 1966 during decimalisation, the brown paper note featured Queen Elizabeth II on one side and stunning Yolngu bark artwork by David Malangi on the other.

It circulated until 1984, when the $1 coin took over because paper notes wore out too quickly (and coins saved the government heaps of money!).

Fun fact: Around 1.7 billion $1 notes were printed in less than two decades. Imagine how many wallets they filled!

Five Things $1 Could Buy in 1966 Australia

Here are some fun, relatable examples based on historical prices and inflation comparisons:

A week’s worth of bread - A loaf of bread cost around 20 cents, so $1 could buy five loaves.

Several bottles of milk - Milk was about 10–15 cents per pint, meaning $1 could cover 6–10 bottles.

A movie ticket (and snacks!) - Cinema admission was roughly 50 cents, leaving enough change for a choc-top or popcorn.

Multiple bus fares - A single bus fare was about 10–15 cents, so $1 could pay for 6–8 rides.

A dozen eggs and butter - Eggs cost around 40 cents per dozen, and butter about 50 cents per pound — together just under $1.

How times have changed huh?

Images: By Reserve Bank of Australia, Public Domain

## Images

![Do you remember the $1 note?](https://thedavemalouchannel.com/api/photo/325?s=full)

---

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