Singapore has now issued a plastic $5 banknote.

You will be pleased to know that Singapore has now issued a plastic $5 banknote.The paper $5 note will still be legal tender.

You can find details through here; www.mas.gov.sg .

Aidan.

 

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So Aidan,

What is your impression of the polymer note?
Compared to paper is there any indication of wear as in scratches? How flexibile will it be?
Easy to counterfiet?
Life of polymer -vs- paper?
Reception by the common people?

I think it is interesting and could catch on as a means of reducing the need to re-issue paper so often.
Cool a currency that can be recycled!

RickieB

 

to answer your questions (even though they were not directed at me )
- my first impression is*cough*gag*ack* but i think in time i would be able to get used to them
-the polymer notes are supposed to be more durable, but not as rigid as real hard plastic, so it would be able to 'give' some when bent, not sure about how it would handle being folded...
-the polymer should last alot longer then even paper/linen. Since this is the first polymer/plastic note, only time will tell to its true durability in commerce.

I too wonder about its acceptance into commercial trade and beyond by said 'common people'?!

 

Rick,here in New Zealand,we've had plastic banknotes since 1999.They are not easy to forge.They last a lot longer than the paper notes.We're very used to them,even though I miss the old pre-1992 paper notes.

Singapore did issue a plastic note back in 1990 to commemorate 25 years of the Republic of Singapore.

Aidan.

 

So what are some of the anti-forgery methods used in this polymer note, do you know?
How has the general popuation of NZ accepted the note?

Here in the USA...we have a hard time with a dollar coin, much less a polymer note!

RickieB

 

Rick,there a ribbed pattern in the area of the window,plus a watermarked portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.

The notes get a ton of use,especially the $5,$10,& $20 denominations.

Aidan.

 

i read an article on the introduction of the notes, it talked about alot of the security features and useablitly and acceptance.. i have been looking for it, but cant find it now... go figure

 

Australia is the pioneer of polymer notes which is now used in a fair number of countries. Even the Singapore $50 polymer note, the second country to issue polymer note is made by Australian technology. Australia released one back in 1988.

Polymer notes are pretty difficult to counterfeit as because it's plastic, it has a different feel as well as a clear plastic window. There is a watermark which is the Australian crest, (the roo and the emu) as well as the serial number will glow in a different color under UV light. If I'm not mistaken, there is another bit of the note that will glow but I can't remember the top of my head.

Yes these notes last pretty long. They are made to be durable. I have seen notes from 1993 and they are still in excellent condition. If you accidently leave them in your pocket while doing your laundry, there isn't anything to worry about. The only thing is when you are silly enough not to realize that there is money there and try to iron it, which I accidently did (fortunately only bits of the notes started to shrink) And finally, these notes are almost impossible to tear apart! (unless you try to cut them up with scissors or something sharp)

Nevertheless, it is not that polymer notes aren't counterfeit yet. They already have been unfortunately counterfeited by Vietnamese mafias and have counterfeited Aussie 50 dollars and the Vietnamese polymer dongs. Fortunately though, quality isn't quite there *yet*

 

It last about 3 to 4 times longer than the paper ones. Yes, Singapore polymer banknotes are made in Australia. A number of countries have the facilities to make their own polymer banknotes. One of them is Taiwan.

One of the problem with the first Singapore plastic notes ( not sure whether they use polymer during that time ) is that it was unacceptable to the ATM machines. The machines was not able to count and release these plastic notes to users. It becomes a problem to users. Technology was not matured at that time.

With proven success in both Australia and New Zealand, Singapore started using polymer again. One of the problem with polymer notes is that they are not easily folded. In addition, they are quite difficult to count when they are new. They tends to stick together. Once the notes are well-circulated, they can be easily handled and counted.

I see that there will a lot of countries adopting polymer notes in the near future. Countries will have a lot of saving on notes printing.

 

The first country to issue a series of plastic banknotes was Haiti in around 1980,but they were in Tyvek.Australia was not the first British Commonwealth country to issue a plastic banknote though.That honour belongs to the Isle of Man,which issued a plastic 1 Pound note in 1983.That was in Bradvek.It didn't last long in circulation,as it was pulled,because the people didn't like the waxy feel of the notes.

Aidan.

 

people on the forum you will be glad to know that i have one type of polymer note (design) ever issued by any country. Now i nee dthe singapore $5 to complete that list

 

Singapore has also issued a plastic $10 & a $20 as well.

Aidan.

 

surely you mean $2 and $10 there is no polymer $20

 

Spock1k,I thought that Singapore had done away with $2 notes.Eventually,all the Singaporean banknotes will be issued in plastic,including the $10,000 one.

Brunei has issued a plastic $10,000 banknote,but the paper note will still remain legal tender.

Aidan.

 

In the current Singapore Portrait Series, there is no $20 denomination. The last $20 denomination was during the Bird Series.

 

there is a polymer $2 banknote

 

That is Australia or New Zealand you are talking about. There aren't any 20 dollar notes in Singapore. It was last seen in circulation perhaps almost 10 years ago.

 

It seems very strange that Singapore no longer uses a $20 banknote.I know that Singapore did issue a $25 banknote in the 'Orchid Issue'.

I can't think of any other British Commonwealth country that doesn't have a $20 banknote.

Aidan.

 

Correction: EX British whatever.

I don't believe Malaysia and Brunei have 20 dollar notes in circulation either.

 

Gxseries,why are you being so pedantic? It is getting very long in the tooth,as the old saying goes.

Malaysia doesn't issue notes denominated in Dollars,but the Ringgit did use to use the $ sign until around 1993,when it was changed to RM (Ringgit Malaysia).

The Bruneian Dollar is only called Ringgit Brunei in the Behasa Melayu language.It is possible to use Bruneian banknotes in Singapore & Singaporean banknotes in Brunei.This is due to the fact that B$1 = S$1.The Ringgit is only worth around 40c. Singaporean & Bruneian.

Aidan.