2016 - Year of the Monkey Chinese New Year Picks

News: Registration is free here at the CPMF!

I must admit that only after coming to Canada I became aware about the custom of giving Crisp Banknotes in special envelopes on the occasion of Chinese New Year.

It so happens that giving crisp money in envelopes to young people is also practiced in some other cultures often also at some important events.

I  must admit I have begun to like the excitement at the local branches that supply Crisp Notes during Chinese New Year. For instance one branch already started giving out the crisp notes and the word spread so fast that they already ran out of $5.

Another branch has received the red envelopes but is going to wait until a specific date to distribute them.

Even the way the branches dole out the crisp bills is interesting. At one branch they have one dispenser only with crisp bills. At another branch you have to go to the business counter. At yet another downtown branch they keep that at the kind of the reception desk.

In one bank regular customers get one type of envelope and special customers get a special envelope with a ballot to participate in winning something.

I thought I would start this topic to see what stories people have share.

What prefixes did you get?
Did the bank have a new envelope this year or did they recycle last year's?
Is there someone who gives out envelopes that corresponds to the year (i.e. money on it this year)
What do branches who do not partake in this tell you when you ask for crisp notes?

So let's hear them.

Chinese New Year Picks:

FTJ
FWH
GHF

Chinese New Year Hunt Continues

FKL
FKN - M-P
FKU

GHJ

FWF

FTM - New Low - Expanded the range in SNDB considerably
Is FTN coming soon?

HCE
HCL


Last year (around this time) gave us HBG - M/C

What are the chances of FTH - M/C this year?

More Chinese New Year Exchanges:

FTM - New low again. The range has expanded to almost the full range now

FTP - First entry in SNDB

FTS -

Jumping on to FTP and FTS without FTN??

HCB

HCH

Chinese New Year Money Envelopes

I cannot read the script but somehow I thought banks would be issuing new envelopes every year to correspond with the designated animal for that year. But alas I noticed that the banks so far that have been giving them are using ones from almost three years ago.

Managed to get Royal, TD, CIBC, BMO. Scotia told me that they had started distributing around early Jan and were out of them. Do other banks/co-ops/institutions have them?

Disappointed that Starbucks did not have a Chinese New Year Envelope to go with the Chinese New Year Card.

At one bank when I asked for one envelope they gave me a whole packet of about 10 in a shrink wrap. When I said I really only one envelope and not one pack I was informed that it was good luck to take the whole pack?? Not sure about this. Can someone who knows throw some light on this?

TD Envelopes are short so that the notes would stick out. Not sure why this is the case. Any ideas?

Hi Rupiah,

Starbucks did issue a red classy 2016 red envelope this year:

http://www.buckscards.com/sleeve_yearofmonkey.htm

Starbucks did issue a red classy 2016 red envelope this year:

-thanks for the tip (just got myself one)

Hi Rupiah,

Starbucks did issue a red classy 2016 red envelope this year:

http://www.buckscards.com/sleeve_yearofmonkey.htm

Thx - I will have to look for one.

FKP

GHK

FWD - Ran into a crisp 4 digit cycle repeater. This note did not come out of the machine but from the tellers drawer where they were keeping the crisp notes to give out. Does that mean that they do not pull out interesting numbers or does it mean that 4 digit cycle repeater in UNC is worth the same as any other UNC?

More of FTP and HCH

Walked a mile to get envelope from Chinatown Scotia Bank and National Bank. Worth every foot of the walk as the envelope from National Bank was the first one from the big banks I have seen that has the animal on it.

Surprised at the design. The paper was heavier stock than other big banks (except Scotia). Also unlike the other banks both the National and Scotia have a non glue closure for their envelopes at the back. Simply insert the flap and off you go. (Scotia is a bit easier on the flap insertion)

The size is large enough to comfortably accommodate the note unlike TD where the bill sticks out.

Interesting to note that National at first did not give me the envelope as they do not give to non-customers. I pleaded for only one but even then the answer was a negative. They told me I can buy them in the shop around the corner. But I said I wanted the one with the logo on it. Only if I became a National Bank Customer. So I left

Did some shopping and came back to the branch to find another person. Went there again and this time got one.