# Canada to move to plastic banknotes **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 4, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344 "2010-03-04T23:21:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/1 "2010-03-04T23:21:22Z")
Just found [this little article](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/bureau-blog/open-your-wallets-for-plastic-cash/article1489845/) on the Globe and Mail. Apparently, as part of the coming austerity program (at least, that’s how it was presented), Canada is moving to replace its paper banknotes with polymer plastic ones in late 2011. This is the stuff that Australian banknotes are made of. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/2 "2010-03-04T23:32:02Z")
Congrats, Canadians! Next time your friend throws you in the pool fully dressed with money in your pocket, your money won’t be ruined! ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/3 "2010-03-04T23:46:16Z")
> [@](#): > > The plastic-feeling bills will also allow the Bank of Canada to design funkier notes First thing I think of when I think Canada is “funky”! :dubious: They mean Winkerbean, don’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/4 "2010-03-04T23:50:09Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > First thing I think of when I think Canada is “funky”! :dubious: Well, after that _Economist_ cover came out a few years ago, we got quite the reputation. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/5 "2010-03-05T01:15:13Z")
Just think you’ll be able to wash the money when someone just pulled it out of their shoe or worse place and gave it to the cashier that gave it to you. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/6 "2010-03-05T01:25:44Z")
… can you not already wash Canadian currency? The American stuff goes through the wash all the time, no problems. ---
**Author:** ![apollonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@apollonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/apollonia)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/7 "2010-03-05T01:29:26Z")
Uh, if you can’t, pretty much my entire bank account is a living miracle. I put my clothes through the wash with money in the pockets accidentally all the time (well, when I have money, that is) (and frankly, having the money in my pocket is probably an accident to begin with somehow) and I’ve never had a bill dissolve on me. Now, tell me, will this magic technology enable me to _keep the bills in my wallet longer?_ Perhaps keep them from flying out like little birds to be spent on whatever catches my eye? ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/8 "2010-03-05T01:39:20Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > … can you not already wash Canadian currency? The American stuff goes through the wash all the time, no problems. I personally have laundered many bills and they were fine. My driver’s license on the other hand :o ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/9 "2010-03-05T01:40:28Z")
As noted, we have them here. They’re good. There are in my view simply no bad points about them, assuming they are made from the same stuff as the Australian ones. They’re tough, light, unwettable, washable. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/10 "2010-03-05T01:43:12Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Just found [this little article](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/bureau-blog/open-your-wallets-for-plastic-cash/article1489845/) on the Globe and Mail. Apparently, as part of the coming austerity program (at least, that’s how it was presented), Canada is moving to replace its paper banknotes with polymer plastic ones in late 2011. This is the stuff that Australian banknotes are made of. Longer circulation life, reduced counterfeiting, a bit more colour and pizzaz for branding purposes etc , so using [Securency](http://www.securency.com.au/) makes the decision a bit broader than an austerity measure … and a nice little earner for our Reserve Bank. Securency notes are issued 29 countries. •Australia •Bangladesh •Brazil •Brunei •Chile •China •Guatemala •Honduras •Hong Kong •Indonesia •Kuwait •Malaysia •Mexico •New Zealand •Nepal •Nicaragua •Nigeria •Northern Ireland •Papua New Guinea •Paraguay •Romania •Singapore •Solomon Islands •Sri Lanka •Taiwan •Thailand •Vietnam •Western Samoa •Zambia ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/11 "2010-03-05T01:49:10Z")
By washing I mean they won’t retain water. You can pat them dry. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/12 "2010-03-05T02:16:31Z")
One thing though - don’t microwave them. Rumour is, they end up as a fairly expensive keychain thingy. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/13 "2010-03-05T02:21:03Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Just found [this little article](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/bureau-blog/open-your-wallets-for-plastic-cash/article1489845/) on the Globe and Mail. Apparently, as part of the coming austerity program (at least, that’s how it was presented), Canada is moving to replace its paper banknotes with polymer plastic ones in late 2011. This is the stuff that Australian banknotes are made of. Ah, but what will happen to making plastic notes when all the oil runs out? 😃 I wonder whether that will catch on here. Then we could all be guilty of a bit of “money-laundering”. You know, if it was a REALLY boring day. Note to self: Google to find what’s the story about this funky Winkerbean mystery thing. The microwave thing reminded me of the two pound coins we have in the U.K. They have a silver -coloured circle inside a gold-coloured (oh, let’s call it circle - too tired to find the correct word), and apparently when they were new, some people were quite entertained to find that if you put these coins in a freezer, the inner circle would drop out. What the heck is the point of ruining your money? Weirdness! ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/14 "2010-03-05T02:29:19Z")
> [@Celyn](#): > > The microwave thing reminded me of the two pound coins we have in the U.K. They have a silver -coloured circle inside a gold-coloured (oh, let’s call it circle - too tired to find the correct word), and apparently when they were new, some people were quite entertained to find that if you put these coins in a freezer, the inner circle would drop out. What the heck is the point of ruining your money? Weirdness! That problem would make a coin pretty much useless in Canada or Wisconsin. The first cold night in car change tray and they’d all have a hole in them. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/15 "2010-03-05T02:30:53Z")
**Celyn** , how about ‘ring’ On a related note, I just found out about spocking fives from the dope. How will this with plastic money? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/16 "2010-03-05T02:51:12Z")
> [@Celyn](#): > > Ah, but what will happen to making plastic notes when all the oil runs out? 😃 We switch to ‘virtual’ stone coins, like the Yapese used. Don’t need to carry them around; just keep track of who owns them. > [@Celyn](#): > > The microwave thing reminded me of the two pound coins we have in the U.K. They have a silver -coloured circle inside a gold-coloured (oh, let’s call it circle - too tired to find the correct word), and apparently when they were new, some people were quite entertained to find that if you put these coins in a freezer, the inner circle would drop out. What the heck is the point of ruining your money? Weirdness! > [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > That problem would make a coin pretty much useless in Canada or Wisconsin. The first cold night in car change tray and they’d all have a hole in them. When the [toonie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_2_dollar_coin) ($2 coin) was introduced, there was a brief fad for popping the middle of them out as well. Or trying to, anyways; I never had any success with it. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/17 "2010-03-05T03:00:00Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > **Celyn** , how about ‘ring’ > > On a related note, I just found out about spocking fives from the dope. How will this with plastic money? I just want to know if they’ll still call it the ‘luney’. Personally, I was hoping for a new name. (How about the ‘Slinky’? Hey, its fun for a girl and a boy… ) ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/18 "2010-03-05T03:00:14Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > I just want to know if they’ll still call it the ‘luney’. Personally, I was hoping for a new name. > > (How about the ‘Slinky’? Hey, its fun for a girl and a boy… ) The [loonie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_1_dollar_coin) is, specifically, the $1 coin. It will remain a coin. (“Loonie” is also the nickname for the Canadian dollar as a currency.) > [@Princhester](#): > > As noted, we have them here. They’re good. There are in my view simply no bad points about them, assuming they are made from the same stuff as the Australian ones. They’re tough, light, unwettable, washable. Can they be folded? ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/19 "2010-03-05T03:05:11Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:2, topic:531344”] Congrats, Canadians! Next time your friend throws you in the pool fully dressed with money in your pocket, your money won’t be ruined! [/QUOTE] American money isn’t made of polymer, and it doesn’t get ruined if you get pushed into a pool. Phones, on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344/20 "2010-03-05T03:21:06Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > I just want to know if they’ll still call it the ‘luney’. Personally, I was hoping for a new name. > > (How about the ‘Slinky’? Hey, its fun for a girl and a boy… ) The **Loonie** is the one dollar coin, 'cause it has a loon on it. The two dollar coin is the one with the gold circle and the silver outer ring. It’s called a **Toonie**. It is sometimes called a **Moonie** , because it has the Queen on the front, _[with a bear behind](http://www.globalclassroom.org/2004/spicer/loonie_toonie2013.jpg)_. . [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-to-move-to-plastic-banknotes/531344.md?page=2)