Plastic banknote

Various Australian plastic banknotes in use

Plastic banknotes , also known as plastic banknotes or polymer banknotes , are banknotes that are not made of cotton or paper, but of a plastic film. These banknotes are made of biaxially stretched polypropylene (BOPP), which increases the durability of the banknotes. In addition, new security functions are possible that are difficult or impossible to implement with paper bills.

The first BOPP plastic notes were developed by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) and put into circulation on January 27, 1988. Together with Innovia Films , the RBA founded the company Securency, which sells plastic money to other countries under the “Guardian” brand. Note Printing Australia, a subsidiary of the RBA, also produces banknotes for countries without their own printing plants.

Polyethylene (PE) banknotes , marketed by DuPont as " Tyvek ", were developed by the American Bank Note Company in the late 1970s . Tyvek was not successful enough in tests, the ink was smearable and it could be torn. Only Haiti , Costa Rica and the Isle of Man had PE banknotes in circulation for some time; these are now collector's items.

Manufacturing

material

Today's plastic banknotes are made of biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP, biaxially oriented polypropylene ), the name for which is Guardian . The leading producer of BOPP is the Belgian company Innovia Films .

The starting material for polypropylene is the hydrocarbon propene , a gas that is obtained from refining petroleum . To produce BOPP, the propene is polymerized in a vacuum . However, the product of the polymerization is only the poorly printable core of the film.

Coating

The core of the film is provided with a coating to improve the printability. This “coating” is made of polypropylene of a different tacticity and polyethylene . The polymer coating is applied over multiple areas up to a layer thickness of usually around 1 µm, the polypropylene only losing its transparency through the coating. The coating is largely dispensed with in places where there should be a see-through window later. In order to print the see-through window, the coating is applied locally in an additional step, whereby it is significantly thicker than at other places.

Security features

Traditional security features of banknotes can partly also be used with plastic money. These include offset , deep and letterpress , black light images, etc.

New security features that are not possible to this extent with paper are, for example, transparent cutouts and diffraction gratings . The most popular and effective is the transparent window. It can carry all degrees of transparency. Usually it has a complex shape to support the other design elements of the note. It is often provided with a tactile embossing, a hologram or a filter element that is surrounded by complex offset printing patterns.
The hologram is a mechanism that breaks down visible light into its spectral colors and carries high-resolution, sometimes three-dimensional images. When placed in the clear window, it can be seen from both sides of the note.
The self-authenticating function or metameric filter are placed in the transparent window. Microscopic, mostly colored, lines are used to reveal hidden images of the opposite side when the note is folded. Sometimes combined with an embossing.
Microprint can be read with a magnifying glass. Usually found near portraits, in the value statement or as a narrow line below or above text or graphic elements.
The tilting effect is combined with a reflective metallic substrate to change colors or shapes at different lighting and viewing angles.
The latent image is only visible in connection with strong incidence of light if the note is held flat in front of the eye. To be found in the value indication and as the bank name.
The see-through register forms a new image by combining elements on one side with elements on the other side when the note is held up to the light.
The shadow image is similar to a watermark and is visible when the note is held up to the light - usually in the case of coats of arms, the value indication or portraits.
The imitation of the security thread is also a negative pressure and visible against the light. Often combined with micro printing . Usually magnetic and is read by counting and sorting machines.
Special ink that changes its color from different angles, unusual color mixtures and the introduction of magnetic particles are used, but rarely described.
Fluorescent ink is used to print hidden colored images, numbers, serial numbers, etc. on a note. Visible only under ultraviolet light.
Multi-colored fine lines, also called guilloche , anti-copier, anti-scanner patterns are used as a negative pressure on each side of the note.
Micro-perforation is only visible when the note is held up to the light. Usually shows the value.
Iridescent stripe . When tilted under bright light, a shiny streak appears that changes color slightly but noticeably.
The diffractive optical element , called DOE for short, is a holographic structure on the surface of the transparent window. A commercially available laser pointer can project an image onto a nearby surface.
The metallic patch serves as a platform for further security features. It produces an optically changeable color effect if you look very diagonally at the note.
The Omron , also known as the EURion , CDS or counterfeit deterrent system is a pattern of yellow dots or rings that modern photocopiers and software recognize to prevent copying.

Because of this complexity, it is not possible to reproduce plastic banknotes by simple means such as color copiers, and counterfeits are easy to spot.

In particular, substrate-integrated security features with a high recognition value, such as watermarks and real security threads, cannot be implemented in plastic banknotes.
An important security feature that can only be implemented to a limited extent with plastic money is intaglio printing . The usual embossing of paper banknotes is not possible with polypropylene. The palpable structure on plastic banknotes is only due to the application of paint, which rubs off faster in circulation than with paper notes.

distribution

In Australia , Brunei , Canada , Papua New Guinea , New Zealand , Romania and Vietnam , the cash holdings have already been completely converted to plastic banknotes.

Bangladesh , Chile , China , India , Indonesia , Kuwait , Malaysia , Mexico , Nepal , the Solomon Islands , Singapore , Sri Lanka , Taiwan , Thailand and Samoa and other countries are either introducing plastic banknotes or are planning to do so.

Polymer banknote 1 Leu from Romania , issued on July 1, 2005 (excerpt)

1988: Australia celebrates 200 years of European settlement and on this occasion is circulating an AUD 10.00 with a special motif made of synthetic polymer with viewing window and hologram

1996: Australia becomes the first country with a full set of synthetic polymer banknotes.

1999: New Zealand follows, starting with a $ 20 bill.

1999: Romania becomes the first European country to switch completely to synthetic polymer banknotes.

1999: Taiwan issues 50 yuan bill to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the New Taiwan dollar issue .

2000: The People's Republic of China issues a 100 yuan note to celebrate the new millennium .

2000: Northern Ireland and New Zealand also issue a special synthetic polymer banknote to celebrate the new millennium . The five pound note in Northern Ireland is the only one operated by Northern Bank that will not be affected by the exchange of notes after the bank robbery of £ 26.5 million in December 2004.

April 2000: Brazil issues a 10 reais note to commemorate the arrival of Portuguese explorers 500 years ago. However, after negative experiences with regard to durability, they returned to conventional banknotes. The synthetic polymer banknote is rarely found.

2003: Zambia becomes the first African country to introduce two synthetic polymer banknotes.

2003: Romania becomes the first country to issue a synthetic polymer banknote worth 1 million lei as a result of inflation, the highest denomination on plastic banknotes that has been issued. (As of 2005)

2005: Romania becomes the first country to issue a second set of synthetic polymer banknotes and, due to inflation, deletes 4 zeros.

2005: To mark the 30th anniversary of its independence, Papua New Guinea expands the nominal chain with another plastic note to 100 kina .

2006: Mexico introduces the 50 peso banknote in November .

2007: Nigeria introduces a 20 naira note on February 28 ; the values of 5, 10 and 50 Naira will not follow until September 30, 2009.

2008: Israel follows, starting with a 20 shekel note.

2009: India introduces the 10 rupee note

2009: Nicaragua follows, the values above 10, 20 and 200 Cordobas are now made of polymer.

2009: Paraguay introduced a 2000 PYG note in December .

2011: Canada introduced a $ 100 bill on November 14th . The $ 50 bill was issued on March 26, 2012 and the $ 20 bill on November 7th. The remaining notes ($ 10 and $ 5) followed on November 7, 2013.

2013: On January 2nd, the new Fiji dollar series begins to circulate in Fiji . The only polymer banknote belonging to this series with “flora and fauna” motifs is a green 5-dollar bill, the introduction of which has, however, been postponed until April.

2013: Mauritius switched three banknotes to polymer in September: 25, 50 and 500 rupees .

2015: The Maldives announce the launch of a new series of banknotes; of 5 Rufiyaa -Schein is not printed on, a banknote to 1000 Rufiyaa is instead circulated

2016: A five- pound polymer banknote is introduced in the UK , but it contains animal sebum , causing criticism from vegans.

2018: North Macedonia

history

First development steps

When the first large quantities of counterfeit $ 10 notes were found in Australia in 1967 and the RBA was not exactly enthusiastic about the introduction of color copiers, the first considerations about counterfeit-proof money began. In the following year, the RBA started a cooperation with CSIRO , and from 1969 the experimental production of more distinctive paper was started.

The incorporation of holograms, which change the image depending on the perspective, was proposed in 1972. In 1974 lamination was developed as a technique to group the different materials together. Polypropylene (PP) was used as the surrounding material, which meant that the holograms could be used without any problems.

The polypropylene went through the following steps:

Two layers of ink (usually white paint) were applied on both sides, the fields for the holograms omitted.
The cut brought the material to the right size for the printing machines.
Normal offset, gravure and letterpress were used for printing.
The protective layer made it possible to last longer.

Tyvek

The first synthetic polymer banknotes to be officially issued as a means of payment come from Haiti (1979/80). They are made of Tyvek , a white material made of polyethylene fibers welded together. This paper-like spunbonded fleece does not contain any dyes, fillers or binders . It is a durable "synthetic paper" with advantageous properties such as water resistance, flexibility and lightness.

Tyvek was a joint product of DuPont and the ABNC (American Bank Note Company). The material was later developed further, two other types were created, Certibond and Bradvek . Since DuPont had patented its Tyvek, other companies could also manufacture it for license fees. Attempts have also been made to incorporate a type of watermark into the spunbonded nonwoven.

The aim of the development was to use this material for banknotes because of the advantages mentioned, in particular for small-value notes, in order to reduce the costs for banknote printing . This happened in the late 1970s and was so successful in Haiti (1, 2, 50, 100, 250 and 500 Gourdes) in the early 1980s that all money in circulation was switched to Tyvek. Other countries such as Costa Rica (20, 100 Colones), Ecuador (10 and 100 Sucres), El Salvador (5, 10 Colones), Honduras (10 Lempiras) and Venezuela (10, 20 Bolivares) followed the example and had test prints made. A short time later, a bank note (1 pound) was added on the Isle of Man .

However, there were also problems. So reported Dr. Heinz-Wilhelm Thiede from the Association of German Banknote and Securities Collectors in the 1996 yearbook of disadvantages in terms of grip and paint adhesion as well as difficulties in installing security technology. The Tyvek banknotes were withdrawn again, the test prints of the other countries were not realized and partially destroyed, Tyvek was no longer produced. Few copies are in collectors' hands today. Inquiries from various banks do not even confirm the actual test prints. Not only had the ABNC undertaken test series with Tyvek, test banknotes from Bradbury Wilkinson and Silba International ( DuraNote ) have also appeared on the collector's market.

In 2001 some Tyvek notes were printed again. Before the turn of the millennium, resourceful business people had founded the "Chatham Island Note Corporation" and on January 1, 2000 issued the first banknotes of the millennium. They are listed in the Guinness Book of Records as "Millennium Notes" and are made from a new type of plastic, Generic Plastic. The following year, a set in the well-known Tyvek material came into collectors' hands ($ 3, 5, 8, 10, 15). However, these “banknotes” were not a means of payment , just local money with the status of a voucher. The State Bank of New Zealand tolerated these notes as long as they remained on the island .

Web links

World of Polymernotes (German)

English

Individual evidence

↑ Between 1990 and 2007 Note Printing Australia printed 56 different banknotes for a total of 18 countries including Australia. Source: RBA Annual Report 2007, section on business operations of the Note Printing Australia subsidiary .

^ The biggest theft of waste paper tagesspiegel.de, March 13, 2005.

↑ Hindustantimes: RBI to introduce 100 crore Rs 10 plastic notes ( Memento of the original from November 25, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , September 8, 2009. @1@ 2

↑ Fiji new 2012 flora and fauna series confirmed Banknote News, Jan. 30, 2013

↑ Mauritius new 25- and 50-rupee polymer notes confirmed Banknote News, September 21, 2013

↑ Mauritius new 500-rupee polymer notes confirmed Banknote News, September 30, 2013.

↑ Maldivian Rufiyaa New Note Series ( Memento of the original from November 14, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Maldives Monetary Authority, accessed November 2, 2015. @1@ 2

↑ Vegetarians are outraged by the British pound Süddeutsche Zeitung, November 30, 2016.

[1] Between 1990 and 2007 Note Printing Australia printed 56 different banknotes for a total of 18 countries including Australia. Source: RBA Annual Report 2007, section on business operations of the Note Printing Australia subsidiary .

[2] The biggest theft of waste paper tagesspiegel.de, March 13, 2005.