Rare ChangeAU

RARE CHANGE / NOTES / PLATE 30 · $1 · 1966-1968 · NOTE

1966 paper $1, Coombs/Wilson, and what it's worth

The first-series Australian paper one dollar note (Queen Elizabeth II on the front, Aboriginal art after David Malangi on the back) signed by H.C. Coombs and R. Wilson, with an ordinary serial number and no asterisk.

Typical sale · Uncirculatedn = 5

A genuine one, never used

$480

Middle half of sales $375 to $600. Lowest $300, highest $700.

Hammer prices (before buyer's fees) from 10 single-item sales at Noble Numismatics and Downies, 2018 to 2024. Updated 30 Oct 2026.

Prices by condition

AUD

Worn coins sell for less. Find the row that looks most like yours.

Lightly wornVery Fine · 3 sales

Too few sales for a fair price

Barely wornExtremely Fine · 2 sales

Too few sales for a fair price

Never usedUncirculated · 5 sales

$480

Line: lowest to highest sale. Box: the middle half of sales. Dot: the median, half sold for more and half for less.

Recent sales

Hammer
DateConditionAuctionPrice
25 Nov 2024 Barely worn Noble $30
8 Apr 2024 Never used Noble $600
20 Feb 2024 Never used Downies $375
20 Feb 2024 Never used Downies $300
31 Mar 2020 Lightly worn Noble $320
30 Jul 2019 Lightly worn Noble $190

How to check yours

Each letter on the drawing marks where to look. A magnifying glass or your phone's zoom helps.

Front of the note
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA$1$1The QueenCoombsWilsonAAA 000000AAA 000000Layout only, not to scale. Serial shown is an example.BCAD

  1. Do the two signatures read Coombs and Wilson?

    The two printed signatures on the front of the note
    YES
    The signatures are those of H.C. Coombs and R. Wilson.
    NO
    The signatures show a later pair, such as Coombs and Randall, or Phillips and Randall.

  2. Does the serial number start with Z and end in an asterisk?

    The serial number on the front
    YES
    The prefix begins with ZA and the serial number ends in a six-pointed asterisk instead of a digit.
    NO
    The serial number has a three-letter prefix not starting with Z and ends in a digit.

  3. Does the prefix read AAA?

    The three letters printed before the serial number
    YES
    The prefix before the serial number reads AAA, the first prefix of the $1 note.
    NO
    The prefix shows other letters.

  4. Is the printing or cutting visibly faulty?

    The whole note, front and back, including the edges
    YES
    The design is cut off or shifted, ink from another sheet shows on the note, part of the design is missing, or a flap of extra paper is attached.
    NO
    The design sits evenly within the edges and is fully printed.
Check mine from a photo

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Record

Face value
$1
Issued
1966 to 1968
Signatures
Coombs/Wilson (1966, 1967, 1968)
  • The paper $1 note was first issued in February 1966, when Australia changed to decimal currency. [6][3]
  • The front shows Queen Elizabeth II and the back shows Aboriginal art after David Malangi. [3][6]
  • Gordon Andrews designed the first decimal note series. [4][6][8]
  • The paper $1 note measures 140 mm by 70 mm. [1][6]
  • Notes of this period carry the title Commonwealth of Australia; from 1974 the title became simply Australia. [6][8]
  • In 1966 the Reserve Bank's Governor was H.C. Coombs and the Secretary to the Treasury was Roland Wilson. [8][5][7]
  • Wilson left the Treasury in October 1966 and was succeeded by Richard Randall. [7][8]
  • A $1 coin took over from the $1 note in 1984. [2][6]

Questions

How much is a 1966 paper $1, Coombs/Wilson worth?

A genuine 1966 paper $1, Coombs/Wilson in never used condition (Uncirculated) has typically sold for $480 at Australian auctions, with the middle half of sales between $375 and $600. Better-preserved examples sell for more.

How do I know if my 1966 paper $1, Coombs/Wilson is genuine?

Work through the checks above. They cover what genuine examples show and what altered or different versions don't. A photo can't prove a coin or note is genuine, so for a valuable find, ask a professional numismatist or a grading service before you sell.

Should I clean it?

No. Cleaning leaves fine scratches that collectors spot at once, and cleaned coins and notes sell for much less. Keep it as it is, in a paper envelope or a coin holder.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from at least two independent sources. Prices come from our own record of auction results.

  1. RBA Banknotes: Other Banknotes, read 29 Oct 2026
  2. RBA Banknotes: History of Banknotes, read 29 Oct 2026
  3. RBA Museum: Decimal Series 1966-1967 (A Decimal Reformation pocket guide), read 29 Oct 2026
  4. RBA Museum: A Decimal Reformation (pocket guide), read 29 Oct 2026
  5. Reserve Bank of Australia: Governors, read 29 Oct 2026
  6. Wikipedia: Banknotes of the Australian dollar, read 29 Oct 2026
  7. Wikipedia: Roland Wilson (economist), read 29 Oct 2026
  8. Sterling & Currency: Australia's Paper Decimal Banknotes - from Commonwealth to Polymer in 30 Years, read 29 Oct 2026
  9. Sterling & Currency: Star Replacement Notes in Australia - How to Collect Them, read 29 Oct 2026
  10. Sterling & Currency: Rare, Wrong, and Worth Collecting - The Appeal of Misprinted Banknotes, read 29 Oct 2026
  11. Australian Coins: Star Notes or Star Replacement Banknotes, read 29 Oct 2026
  12. Coins and Australia: Star notes registry, read 29 Oct 2026
  13. Coins and Australia: Errors and misprints on Australian banknotes, read 29 Oct 2026
  14. Noble Numismatics Sale 139, lot 3674: One dollar, Coombs/Wilson (1966), AAA first serial prefix, read 29 Oct 2026