5 Dollars pale

Australia's first polymer note series launched in 1988 with the $10, but the $5 followed in 1992 as the technology was progressively rolled out across all denominations. The "pale" designation distinguishes this earlier colour variant from the deeper-toned replacement that followed — the ink formulation on polymer substrate behaved differently from cotton paper, and the initial palette was adjusted after circulation feedback.

The July 1992 folder issue with series AA13 was a deliberate numismatic release, not a standard circulation issue. The printed date at upper right is unusual for Australian decimal notes, which typically carry no explicit date on the face itself.