Plastic Currency - A Growing Trend

Plastic Currency – A Growing Trend

During the hot summer months in Bucharest you may have noticed that your pockets are leaking… or for that matter “sweating”. Is it a coincidence that these moisture marks seem to be directly in line with the wad of folded up cash you have jammed in your side pocket? Not at all. This is one of the many benefits of plastic money. So why is it that over 3 billion polymer based bank notes are now being used in over 22 countries around the globe? One word; Security. As you sit here reading this article, be sure that somewhere around the world in the privacy of someone’s home, a laser printer is humming as it turns out some of Photoshop’s best when it comes to counterfeit currency. Consider that there are so many sources for various types, textures, and weights of papers out there, that, when combined with the magic of desktop publishing, one can replicate a great copy of nearly any paper-based currency.

In the 1980s Australia based company CSIRO, a subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of Australia, began work to improve the durability and security of Australia’s currency. The result was the World’s first (modern day) “plastic” banknote. As such, polymer notes have replaced paper notes in Australia, and Australia leads the world in polymer banknote technology. It is these systems and techniques that have spread rapidly across the globe, reaching of course Romania, and just recently such “hole in the wall” places as the Dominican Republic.

Pull out one of your Romanian banknotes and take a look at some of the security features:

“Clearly” you can see the transparent window. See the face value of the note embedded within?

Optically variable devices

Shadow Images

Heavily embossed printing

Use of metallic, metameric, and metachromatic inks.

As a side benefit, these polymer notes will also last nearly five times longer than their “paper” predecessors. At the end of what is considered their useful life, these plastic notes are shredded and recycled. The cost for doing such is drastically less than that of recycling and re-printing paper notes.

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suzannecarlyle

one thing to watch out for with this money here is that as it wears down (not near the wear and tear you’d get elsewhere) vendors start refusing to accept those worn down bills. Nobody wants to get stuck with a rough bank note. They don’t work in vending machines very well either.
JontyBlair

I’m all for any system that helps to counteract fraud. It must be tough on the people who are left with counterfeit money (and are entirely innocent). I wonder how older people react to the plastic notes though?
TimTamTim

I’m used to this kind of money, grew up with it really. When I travel it is odd to be in a country where the old paper money still rules. Some of those notes are so dirty and worn and of course if they are torn it means a trip to the bank to replace them.
JemimaK

Ugh I agree. Some old paper money really smells too, have you noticed? I was brought up to always wash my hands after handling money, which makes a lot of sense when you think about it.
Travelerkitkat

I love the idea of Plastic bank notes. I think it is amazing how they can take molten polymer to create them. Is this something that can be recycled? Do they use recycled material?
Lynne-Teacher

I doubt they would recycle the old notes – can you imagine the scope for trouble there! I wasn’t the most attentive student in science at school so I don’t know exactly what polymer is, but as they last a lot longer than the old paper notes I guess that is recycling in an indirect way.
funnel

Hey they shred them up and melt them down and then they can reuse them. I think it is a great way to same some trees.
Paula Kent-Sheldon

Some cynics find it amusing that plastic is melted to make …more plastic! I think it is good if they cycle it back into the original product, rather like bags made from saved paper. This is not the end result of the old notes in some countries though.
http://www.bucharestexpat.com Bucharest Expat

All in all, Romania made the switch to plastic currency because it saved them money…..hah!
TimTamTim

Hehehhe. Hey I just watched the video and there is lovely Melbourne! I feel a bit homesick now. Great to see the technical aspects of this process presented in a user friendly way. Wasn’t that bubble something?
Dawn Diva

I quite like the plastic money. You get used to it after a while and it has to beat that smelly old paper alternative. Then again I just like money in general so maybe I am easy to please! I know some people complain about having to buy a new purse or wallet to suit it but I have no issue with shopping so that’s fine by me too.
dillio

I dunno guys. It seems like every one is in to this plastic money thing. Personally I think that could be a very hard adjustment for the older generations to make.
http://blog.huegel.com/ Volguus

I solved the “sweaty pocket” problem long ago. I’m flat broke!
http://www.bucharestexpat.com Bucharest Expat

Plastic notes feel like monopoly money, and that being said… they spend faster also.
Monica

I always feel embarassed when I forget to have “cash” on me. Sometimes I think it makes you look like you are poor when you end up in a place that doesnt’ take plastic!
Lemontop

Hahaha that is one solution! I think guys have it worse than gals all ways round with carrying cash. Wallets must be a pain to carry in pockets and it’s not very security minded if you use the back one. Maybe this is where ‘man bags’ come into their own?
Evelyn

In recent months some of our paper money here in Chile, South America have been made into plastic bills. I realize that they are probably much more secure and harder to copy, but I really don’t like them because they do sweat if you have them in a pocket.
http://papermoney.homeinfous.in/money-world/money-paper-romania-world.html Money paper romania world

[...] Plastic Currency – A Growing Trend – Bucharest Expat 31 Jul 2010. The result was the World's first (modern day) “plastic” banknote.. In recent months some of our paper money here in Chile,. All in all, Romania made the switch to plastic currency because it saved them money…..hah! Plastic Currency – A Growing Trend – Bucharest Expat [...]