The 10/- banknote was first issued on 1 May 1913 as a blue banknote payable in gold. It was equal to a half sovereign gold coin. The sizes varied but the design was the same for the following issues: 1913–1914 issue was 194×83mm, 1915–1923 197×88 mm, 1923–1933 180×78mm. This issue was payable in gold but subsequent issues were legal tender.

The 1913 note was the world's first officially issued ten-shilling note. The first note, serial number M000001, was printed by Judith Denman, five-year-old daughter of the Governor-General of Australia, Lord Denman.[1]

The last banknote issue had a print of 557,548,000 banknotes.