Canada's New Cash

[imcarthur]

For all of the usual reasons - anti-counterfeiting & wear & tear etc - Canada is joining many other countries & is introducing new polymer cash. The $100 has just hit circulation. with the others to follow over the next months.




It has clear 'windows', multiple holographs, secret numbers etc etc - pretty cool actually except for the plastic feel.

Bank of Canada

Ian

[billybek]

A couple of guys at work had some of the hundreds last week.
I told them I must need a raise to come up a few pay levels!

[azasadny]

I hope I see some when I'm in Ottawa this week!

[widgeon13]

Our cash down here is already transparent.

[exc911ence]

Wonder if they'll melt in the dryer if you accidentally leave one in your jeans pocket...

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by exc911ence

Wonder if they'll melt in the dryer if you accidentally leave one in your jeans pocket...

From a post on ctv.news . . . Apparently polymer banknotes are made of polypropylene. Now, the melting point of polypropylene is about 160 C (320 F). So, unless you regularly set your money in your oven or on a hot burner, then you're not going to have to worry about melting banknotes.

Ian

[Rick V]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

Our cash down here is already transparent.

Bwahahahahahaha, I mean waaaaaaaaa so true

[Scuba Steve]

I noticed Mexico changed to that kind of cash too. The first thing I wondered is who's counterfeiting Pesos, anyway?

[sc_rufctr]

We've had plastic bank notes for over 20 years.

They wear a little better than paper/cotton pulp but not by much. When first introduced our $10 note became faulty very quickly. The colour wore away and the security windows soon lost any security features.
They feel different to use and it's harder to stuff them in your wallet. And they can stick together so you have to be careful when paying for something.

All in all it's been positive but I don't know how effective it's been at stopping counterfeiting.
The local crooks use photo copiers and print on plastic and recently some good copies have surfaced.

[Fishcop]

As Peter mentions, Oz has had plastic for quite a while... It's probably a little harder to damage than paper.

As for counterfeiting, well wherever there's a profit motive, you'll have some industrious scumbag having a go... The key thing for the gov and banks is that they can very quickly identify counterfeit notes and protect the currency - it doesn't help you or me at 11pm in bar room lighting, but that was always the case with paper also.

[azasadny]

I was in Ottawa this week, but didn't get a chance to see the new currency. I was down the street from the Canadian Currency Museum, but I didn't have time to visit as it was a business trip. Ottawa seems very nice, although those French speaking people seem to have a different word for everything!!!

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by azasadny

although those French speaking people seem to have a different word for everything!!!

Mais oui. Even the French French sometimes have problems understanding the Quebecois.

Ian