Canadian Polymer Note

I read somewhere that Canada was coming out with a $100 note that is plastic.
Not sure if I'm for this as I like ours and don't think I want to get one step closer to a plastic society.

What's your opinions?

 

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DITTO!

Not sure how a plastic note would hold up in the washer.....LOL

 

Just popped up on Coin Update e-newsletter today:

"A video from the Bank of Canada on the new polymer banknotes has been posted on YouTube. It highlights some of the advanced security features."

 

Polyester clothing holds up quite well in the washer... It's the heat of the drier that may pose the most risk for plastic materials, as well as dry cleaning chemicals, given the washing scenario. However, I'm sure they've already thought to research and test for such wear-n-tear on the new notes.

Here's a video (in Spanish) about printing Australia's Polymer notes. And another video from Banco de Mexico. Both are YouTube links.

 

I'm definitely for polymer notes, especially when the currency's security demands it and/or production costs requires they be used in place of paper and intaglio printing processes. There are many more advanced security features these notes offer those in charge of designing and keeping the currency secure and reliable. Polymer notes are simply one more evolutionary step in global printed currencies' long history. It is another part of numismatics that will present it's own challenge to collect and find ones own interest in. It becomes yet another fascinating type of currency to learn how to grade. If the notes I collect which are now printed on linen/rag paper fiber become polymer notes, I won't stop collecting them, it just marks a departure and defines eras of my collecting and the collection itself.

 

Hey Chris,

Long time no see, i was thinking about you today and wondered if you had left for Japan yet??
By the way i have had many bills make it in to the dryer!! LOL

 

A regular 'money launderer' are ya'... LOL!

I'll be around a while yet. Busy preparing, but I'll check in when I can while I'm away too. :thumb:

 

Ya, they are doing all the bills in polymer, I'm excited. They are releasing the $100 this year so thats what's getting all the hype. Should be interesting!

 

Ever since I heard about the polymer bills up north I've been excited to see them in person. I might have my friend in Toronto send me a few.
I agree with krispy on the statement that this will create a whole new facet to collecting "paper" money. Wonder what PMG would grade most notes if they start to get them in? I'm assuming it would take a while for folds to show up.

 

I have noticed on some circulated Mexican polymer notes that the clear 'window' areas where the printed area surrounding the window shows wear to the printing. The wear results in printed details rubbing off the material and some folded areas display wear as cracked surface printing that has lifted off much like dry cracked/peeled paint appears with age. Polymer notes do collect dirt build up easily from circulation but I'm sure the various security agencies are always looking for ways to improve and prevent the above mentioned issues. Maybe future polymer notes will utilize antibacterial inks or plastics embedded with antimicrobial silver to prevent spread of germs. If the currency was printed with silver or other antimicrobial precious metals and the notes were actually backed by precious metals we could have actual silver certificates printed with said properties.

 

More importantly... we're all moving to an electronic society in which physical cash, regardless of composition, is fading in importance. That's a good thing. A very, very good thing.

 

Curiously though, not all the Mexican notes are polymer. But the ones that are are very attractive, at least when they are uncirculated:



But the 200 and 500 pesos notes are still very much paper - and new designs:

 

Do the polymer notes hold up better in circulation?

I think that is a great looking note. I will have to try and track it down. I think the design is awesome (but I have always liked steam locomotives)...and better yet it's polymer and I don't have one in my collection yet.

 

four times longer than current "paper" banknotes

 

While cost effectiveness (production) and increased security are top priorities, longevity in circulation may not be as high on the list as we may consider to be necessary. The ability to remove notes, improve security features and replace them quickly is crucial. The materials for the polymer notes are readily available, harder to fake and of a recycleable nature, easy to destroy and replace/reprint new ones. That aids security and benefits production costs. Getting a polymer substrate into production is probably much more expedient than creating huge rolls of perfected linen paper, on many levels. I have seen estimates of 2-4x the life span of polymer to that of paper, but above all else, *security* is the primary factor, which is what makes these notes so important while we still use physical printed currencies.

Many people love the design of old security engraved paper currencies, but much of what people respond to aesthetically are very cleverly implemented security features woven into artistic vignettes and flourishes to foil counterfeiters and protect the currency, not just to please the eye. I defend modern notes' designs often by trying to get people to look past simple aesthetics, especially thought appaulling in modern note design, and try to suggest we all learn to notice the elegance in high security devices in place in modern notes. All of them are unique and of equal importance and take their place numismatic appreciation and study.

Here's a decent site with more info/examples of Polymer notes from around the world: Polymernotes.com

also a bit on Wikipedia: Polymer_banknote

 

Well ScottichMoney those are pretty notes.

Maybe it's me just not liking change or if it's that I like the look of our older currency better and am thinking that this will take us farther from that? I'll have to ponder that.

Thanks Krispy for the link.

900fine and Krispy- Being Numismatists, why are you for a cashless society?

 

The things we collect have been and will be around for a long time. They are still producing obscene mintages and printages so we are flush with things to collect, study, buy/sell, etc. I am not for a cashless society, though "money is the root of all evil, so they say", rather I am all in favor of more tools and options of payment. I readily use and welcome cash and electronic forms of payment. I don't like one over the other just like I still buy and listen to vinyl records, the technology is not obsolete, though printed paper currency's security is threatened by modern technological innovation and sinister manipulation.

 

Polymer "raw materials"?

What raw materials are these made from? Is this a petroleum-based product? Or are these more environmentally friendly????

 

The substrate is typically polypropylene, and is recyclable, but don't be surprised if each country develops a secret proprietary substrate for security reasons, the same way paper recipes are guarded for security purposes. The little clear window is another type of plastic material. I don't have that materials name.

See also Polymer Banknotes

 

I would really like to add one of those Mexican Revolution Commemorative 100 Pesos Polymer notes to my collection. Looking on eBay...they are running about $20. Is that a fair price? I know they are about $8.50 USD face value...but they are also a commemorative.