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Used polymer notes?


Vfox

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Okay, so I've been wondering how well do polymer notes really stand up to every day usage? I ask because I've NEVER seen a circulated polymer note....from anywhere.....ever! I know they have to circulate, they made millions of them all over the world, but even online I've never seen one in less than unc. So, to anyone who lives in a country with polymer notes, or has one in circ in thier collection, how well do you feel they compare to normal currency?

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I will post on week-end one-two scans of used polymer notes. Note that these will be after 2 years in circulation (actually the notes now in circulation are issued after 1'th of July 2005). Unfortunately I don't have the oldest Romanian polymer note - and most circulated (6 years - but now out of "duty"), the 1999 issue of 2000 lei total eclipse of sun, but I assure you that the plastic notes are much more resistent than paper notes. The colours resist and after a bath in washmachine at 90 degrees Celsius.

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I'm actually interested in that, lol. I don't have the heart to "circulate" any of my Zambian kwacha polymers....I like'm too much, lol.

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I lived in Oz for 4 years and found that most of the polymer notes were in great shape despite being circulated. I tried to rip one once, and didn't get anywhere. You actually have to cut it to get a head start on a tear. I think they are afar superior to paper notes, and they allow for a "window" in the note which will also help defer counterfeiters.

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I was curious about that as well, how they stand up to heat. Imagine if you set one on your cars' dash in a hot summer day with the windows up. Also, once pierced, do they rip easily? With most plastic sheeting, once a small hole appears, it can be torn easier than paper.

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I lived in Oz for 4 years and found that most of the polymer notes were in great shape despite being circulated. I tried to rip one once, and didn't get anywhere. You actually have to cut it to get a head start on a tear.

 

absolutely right! this is an innovation that should be considered here in thet u.s. ...

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If I recall correctly Isle of Man was the first to issue polymer notes, ca. 1982 or 1983, I had one in uncirculated but sold it later. For some reason, probably production costs at the time, they went back to paper notes before doing away with the £1 note all together and replacing it with a coin.

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Also, once pierced, do they rip easily? With most plastic sheeting, once a small hole appears, it can be torn easier than paper.

 

Once there is a hole or a cut, I don't think they rip any easier than paper, but it's not any harder, either.

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These notes are ridiciously durable and the only times I ruined them are when the notes are too old that the polymer got so thin and hence tearable (but the note is already a good 10+ years old) or alternatively I accidently ironed my money in my pocket which I say is NOT a good idea. Shove them in the washing machine and they will still last.

 

Interesting enough, it seems that different countries have slightly different thickness with the notes which might explain the cost and the time it takes to damage one.

 

Derrick if I am not mistaken, would you think the Singapore polymer notes are rather thin compared to Australian polymer notes?

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The IOM notes were very thick Tyvek, they were noticeably thicker than the paper notes of that era. The paper notes were printed with purple ink, and the Tyvek ones were printed in Green ink to distinguish them. I wished I had kept all of them, but pawned them off on eBay years ago when I first had kids and needed the $$$

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These notes are ridiciously durable and the only times I ruined them are when the notes are too old that the polymer got so thin and hence tearable (but the note is already a good 10+ years old) or alternatively I accidently ironed my money in my pocket which I say is NOT a good idea. Shove them in the washing machine and they will still last.

 

Interesting enough, it seems that different countries have slightly different thickness with the notes which might explain the cost and the time it takes to damage one.

 

Derrick if I am not mistaken, would you think the Singapore polymer notes are rather thin compared to Australian polymer notes?

 

 

 

Hisa - I am not too sure about that as I do not make a comparsion. I do have both Australian and New Zealand polymer banknotes but all of them are locked up in the safe box. From what I think, they should be about the same thickness since the Singapore polymer notes ( $2, $5 and $10 ) come from the same Australian printing company but I remember the Taiwan 1999 NT$50 is quite thin.

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Hisa - I am not too sure about that as I do not make a comparsion. I do have both Australian and New Zealand polymer banknotes but all of them are locked up in the safe box. From what I think, they should be about the same thickness since the Singapore polymer notes ( $2, $5 and $10 ) come from the same Australian printing company but I remember the Taiwan 1999 NT$50 is quite thin.

 

 

I agree. I compared that 50 NTD note versus a 10 dollar AUD note, and the AUD note feels much thicker. Compared further to a Zambian polymer note, which seems heavier than both of them. In fact, out of all the polymer notes I have, the Zambian ones seem the thickest and heaviest.

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Out of the several types I own, I think the Mexican 20 peso is the thinnest feeling polymer note. Next would be the 10,000 dong from Viet Nam, next would be 10 taka from Bangladesh for the thinnest in order. For thick, the thickest would be the Zambian 500 or 1,000 kwacha, next would be the 2,000 lei from Romania, and last of the thick would be the 10,000 lei from Romania. I'm sure some might argue this, but it's just how I feel, if I had a tool that could measure in 10000th MM's it would make this a lot easier, lol.

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Anyway, the world is seeing the benefit of using polymer banknotes. More countries will start using them. If I remember correctly, I read that they last 3 times longer than the paper ones. :ninja:

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There is something very interesting of how the banks here work.

 

If you happen to hold a batch of polymer notes and want to deposit them into your account, instead of counting them manually which is very time consuming, they actually seperate the bills into different denominations and weigh them! Not too sure if you can do that with paper notes though.

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At work we weigh the currency instead of putting it into a counting machine. It's NEVER been wrong either. Even tape doesn't throw it off too much, it will just say suspect and make you enter that one manually. It's a very nice time saver!

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