Plastic Bills

This is a semi-recent development in the world of currency. Many countries across the world are indeed switching from paper/fabric bills to the polymer style.

Some collectors have focused on the polymer notes exclusively. I have a couple of the polymers, mostly from Australia, but one from New Zealand and one from Malasyia too. They're very durable.

More can be found on them, and the countries that use them here: http://www.polymernotes.org/index.htm

"Plastic money" (normally the word "polymer" is used, rather than "plastic", to distinguish the term from credit cards) was first trialled in Australia in 1988, and all our "paper money" has now switched to polymer; we were the first country in the world to do so. The old paper notes are no longer printed. They're still legal tender, but you're likely to get funny looks from the shop attendants if you try to spend one.

Australia has been at the forefront of R&D into polymer banknotes, and has a virtual monopoly on their production; many countries now either have their notes printed here or use our technology under license. Many tropical and equatorial countries have either switched to the substance or are considering doing so, for small denomination notes at least - the plastic lasts much longer in heavy circulation than paper in those climates.

The timeline of countries that issue or have issued polymer notes on Wikipedia is fairly up-to-date.

Hiya superbeast. Glad to see you have joined up here

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In 2005 Brunei put out a $10,000 note which has a US face value of almost $7,000.

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WOW...looks like this is one I won't be able to get my hands on.


mila_

Its extremely difficult to counterfit polymer notes. All polymer notes have a clear window on them, and some of those windows have designs in them. The polymer substrate is nearly impossible to get a hold of and very expensive to reproduce in small quantities.


That is a major deterrant to counterfitters.....

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And they use new advanced security features not available to paper notes, such as transparent windows, diffraction gratings and holograms.

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Hmm, I recently read about the next generation of our (euro) notes, and while they will not be polymer notes, they may well have thumbnail sized transparent windows or thermal images for example. And the current € series has holograms anyway.

Seems that over here it is the vending machine industry that would not be happy with polymer notes, but that is probably a technical problem that can be solved. Another issue is that all currently used polymer notes are made either by the RBA or under its license ...

Christian

Now that is a problem which we don't have since the lowest "paper" denomination here is the €5 note. And I don't think the European vending businesses have anything against the €1 and €2 coins. The primary argument against polymer, according to Wincor Nixdorf, for example, was just that they tend to stick together. Don't know if that still applies ...

Christian

I still have a few polymer notes from my trip to Mexico and it is interesting to see the difference in wear between the window and the rest of the bill. The window appears to be less durable and resistant to creases. I am interested how Australia was able the make the switch. Does everybody fight and raise a stink about the switch and the government just did it anyway. I guess Canada went-bill less for 1s and 2s. One day we will. It just makes sense. Sometimes you just have to let folks complain and move on anyway.