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Banknotes in circulation

Learn about the 5 different banknotes currently in circulation and their imagery.

Current banknotes

New Zealand has 2 types of banknotes in circulation — the Series 7 and the Series 6. 

There are 5 denominations (values) of notes in circulation: $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100.

Differences between Series 7 and older banknotes series


Design

The Series 7 design themes are the same as for Series 5 and Series 6, featuring the same respected New Zealanders, Her Majesty the Queen, and New Zealand's flora and fauna. What's different from Series 6 is the notes have a brighter, clearer look, with the note denomination shown in larger print and greater colour contrast between notes.

They have very little text but feature additional Māori language:

  • Aotearoa – the Māori name for New Zealand.
  • Te Pūtea Matua – the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s Māori name.
  • The names of the native birds on the reverse of the notes (hoiho, whio, kārearea, kōkako, mohua) are also written in Māori as previously.

Series 6 was the first banknote printed on a polymer plastic base, while Series 5 was the last banknote printed on cotton-based paper.

Security features

The Series 7 notes have more sophisticated security features that greatly enhance the overall design. 

Learn how to spot a fake banknote 

Resources for detecting counterfeit cash