As far as actual use of polymer notes is concerned, the only people still complaining about are bank workers, shopkeepers or other people who need to quickly handle large numbers of notes. The fresh, crisp ones tend to stick together (some tellers and checkout operators have been seen deliberately crumpling up nice uncirculated notes to avoid this problem) and worn, crumpled notes don't stack and bundle as well as paper notes.
Polymer notes generally do last longer than paper equivalents, especially in moist environments. If a polymer note goes through the washing machine, or you take it swimming with you, the ink might fade a bit (serial numbers turning green are a common observance) but it's otherwise unharmed and usable; a paper note would be all but trashed. But polymer notes are weaker in other ways.
Banknote polymer is just like any other plastic in being susceptible to UV light - they photodegrade over time. A polymer banknote that's been sitting on a windowsill for a long time will become brittle and easily break and crumble into pieces. A paper note would have to sit in the sun a lot longer than that before that happened.
quote:
Peter THOMAS wondered:
I wonder why the Seppos don't go polymer.
Basically for the same reason they won't give up on making their $1 notes: there are too many vested political interests in maintaining the status quo. Besides, banknote polymer is an Australian invention. They'd have to buy the rights to use it off us. It would be different if the Americans had invented the concept; it would then have been a correct and patriotic thing to do.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
Posted 05/02/2008 08:54 am
