Australian notes now made with the sight-impaired in mind
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325854)
Rockingham, Australia
November 18, 2022 2:09am CST
Australian bank notes are made of a polymer material and are virtually indestructible. They are nearly impossible to tear and you can launder them if you want to. (That’s a joke really but they will safely go through a wash in the washing machine.)
What I didn’t know or what I’d forgotten was that all new series notes now have raised dots on them as an aid to those who are visually impaired. If you look closely at the top right-hand corner of the photo, you may be able to make out four tiny indentations in the note. This would tell a blind person that it’s a $50 note.
Some countries use Braille numbers but, in Australia, they just use dots. The $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 notes have 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 dots respectively.
20 people like this
22 responses
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
18 Nov 22
Interesting that your bank notes have raised dots, I do not believe we have this feature.
According to the Guinness World Records, the Swiss franc notes is the most secure in the world . The rate of counterfeited bank notes as of 2011 was about 1 in 100,000 for the Swiss franc, 1 in 20,000 for the euro, 1 in 10,000 for the United States dollar and 1 in 3,333 for the pound sterling.
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
18 Nov 22
Oh, that's so cool! Our notes aren't set up for the blind yet.
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
18 Nov 22
@JudyEv I understand. As far as I know there isn't a way for vision-impaired people to "read" US currency.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Nov 22
@DaddyEvil My brother was totally blind but he seemed to know by the size of the note. This was before the dots became standard. He wasn't often wrong.
2 people like this
@Beestring (13322)
• Hong Kong
18 Nov 22
We have bank notes made of polymer material, but they are not set for blind people.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Nov 22
@Treborika I should think the dots would be another difficulty for forgers.
@Treborika (17270)
• Mombasa, Kenya
19 Nov 22
@JudyEv Do the dots reduce the faking of the notes
1 person likes this
@Herahestia93 (152)
• Indonesia
18 Nov 22
Wow....I have never paid close attention to money from my country. I don't think there is a dots yet to help blind people.
3 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (95261)
• Marion, Ohio
18 Nov 22
That is a good idea. I dont think ours do. But they are still paper too.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29126)
• United Kingdom
18 Nov 22
@JudyEv It will just happen gradually as new coins are issued. I remember using one- and two-shilling coins with George VI on them well into the 1970s (the Queen acceded to the throne in 1952 and decimalisation was fully completed in 1972 I think).
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Nov 22
@Fleura When you start thinking about it, there are a LOT of things that will now become 'king' rather than 'queen'. In every CWA (Country Women's Association) room in Australia, there is a photo of the Queen so those will all have to be replaced. 
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (156271)
• United States
18 Nov 22
That's so cool. And I love the fact that the notes are indestructible.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Nov 22
The bumps aren't big but I can feel them quite easily. They told my brother, who went blind at around 50, that his fingers wouldn't be sensitive enough to learn Braille, but, as they just use dots here, it shouldn't be a problem.
1 person likes this
@Treborika (17270)
• Mombasa, Kenya
19 Nov 22
I am glad that the Australian government cares for the visual imparted and the less fortunate in the country. Other nations should follow the same suite. This is very impressive
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Nov 22
It is good that governments do what they can to make things easier for those with difficulties.
@Treborika (17270)
• Mombasa, Kenya
19 Nov 22
@JudyEv Especially the government of Australia has impressed me so much
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157562)
• United States
19 Nov 22
It sounds like a simple system to learn.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Nov 22
Not all sight-impaired people know Braille so the dots are probably better.
@allknowing (130064)
• India
18 Nov 22
Very thoughtful of your government to do that
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Nov 22
Apparently a young person thought of the idea and hassled and got support until it was done.
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Nov 22
I'm sure it's a help if your eyesight is compromised.
@FourWalls (62172)
• United States
18 Nov 22
That is very cool and considerate! It’s also nice that Australian dollars were made for laundering. That’s a crime in America. 
1 person likes this
