Edmund Hillary appeared on a banknote while still alive.

1953 · 1992 · apart: 39 years

His portrait has been on New Zealand's $5 note since 1992, and he insisted the backdrop be Aoraki / Mount Cook rather than Everest.

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The event

• First ascent of Everest1953 · Mount Everest, Nepal–Tibet border. On 29 May 1953 the New Zealander Edmund Hillary and the Sherpa Tenzing Norgay of John Hunt's British expedition became the first to stand on the world's highest summit. They spent about fifteen minutes on top; Tenzing left offerings to the gods in the snow. The news reached London on the day of Elizabeth II's coronation.

20th century

More amazing facts

• 1952 Einstein was offered the presidency of Israel.
• 1953 Spring 1953: the structure of DNA was published on 25 April, and on 29 May Hillary and Tenzing reached the top of Everest.
• 1953 The aircraft 'black box' was dreamed up by an Australian.
• 1953 The structure of DNA was first announced in a pub. On 28 February 1953 Francis Crick interrupted lunch at The Eagle in Cambridge to declare that he and Watson had discovered 'the secret of life'.
• 1953 News that Everest had been climbed reached London just in time for the coronation, on the morning of 2 June 1953, as Elizabeth II was crowned.
• 1954 In 1954 'the fastest man on Earth' was a doctor.

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