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Aussies Demand Steve Irwin’s Face Be Used On Bills Instead Of King Charles
Who would you want on to be on the new $5 note?
Australians are asking for a more familiar figure’s face to be used on the bills instead of King Charles. Commonwealth nations around the world have been spending the last few weeks mourning the death of Her Majesty, the longest ruling monarch in Great Britain, at the age of 96.
After 70 years of her ruling, Australia is printing a new set of coins and banknotes that’ll feature the new King of England. But some Australians think there are better options.
One Twitter user wrote, “Time to replace Queen Elizabeth’s face on cash with Steve Irwin or Heath Ledger, I reckon.”
Another commented, “Can we get a petition to get Steve Irwin’s face on money in place of the queen going? It’s what we all want.”
Many chimed in to show their support of the suggestion, with one saying that the late conservationist deserves the “highest form of currency.”
One added, “The $5 note will explode in value if we put him on that note.”
But Steve Irwin was not the only name thrown into the pool. Others have suggested iconic characters and animals in Australia to be used. Some even suggested food.
One made a comedic post on Reddit with the title “RIP Queen Betty” and asked fellow Reddit users who they would’ve chosen to replace Her Majesty on the $5 note. Thousands flocked to share their thoughts and made hilarious suggestions from Russen Coight and Steve Irwin to the Ibis bird.
One comment read, “Just wanna see our nation’s proudest bird on our coins. The Bin Chicken.”
It received support as another replied, “Considering the cultural history of Straya taking the p*** out of itself I completely support putting bin chickens on coins.”
Steve Irwin died of a stingray barb cut when he went to film the marine creature while off-camera in September 2006.
Suggestions have also ranged to include a pavlova, lamington, comedian Hamish Blake, Maroons Jersey, and Bunnings snag. However, the Reserve Bank of Australia has announced that the changes won’t be immediate, though they’ve confirmed that King Charles III will be on the new $5 note. They added, “The reigning monarch has traditionally appeared on the lowest denomination of Australian banknote.”
The coins will also have his face facing the opposite direction of Her Majesty. Even this is part of a tradition since 1660 by King Charles II: a new monarch will face the opposite direction to their predecessor in the new, minted coins. Everyone complied, except for King Edward VIII, who insisted on having his face’s left side.
Production of new banknotes typically consumes a lot of money, with the latest NGB (Next Generation of Banknotes) program costing RBA $37 million and taking 10 years to finish.
The notes undergo 13 production processes to ensure the security and authenticity of each printed note. The new $5 is expected to go through the same process.
The changing of note and coin designs is expected to occur in many Commonwealth nations with Her Royal Highness printed on their money. At least 30 countries will be featuring a new note of sorts, several possibly following Australia’s footsteps by having King Charles III on their new ones.
