So...what do you all think of the polymer notes so far?

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Well, we've got the $20, $50 and $100 so far...what are your thoughts on the polymer notes' designs and security features?

To be honest, I think they're hideous and boring, and LESS secure from counterfeiting than the Journey series.

The colours are not vibrant and there aren't many elements in the design on the front or back.  Also, I think the clear maple leaf window is a major flop as a security feature.  Who's going to hold a note right up next to their eyeball and shine a penlight through it? 

I don't think that the embossing over the hologram window is much of a security feature either.  It would be pretty easy for someone to duplicate this feature.  The intaglio printing is barely perceptible.  So the only real security feature is the metallic hologram, which I'm sure could be duplicated (or at least closely approximated) by a determined counterfeiter also.

What are your thoughts on the polymer notes' designs and security features?

I have to agree with venga on most of the points.

Yes, the designs are too bland and boring indeed. I particularly dislike the pinkish color on the face of the $50 note. As a collector and researcher of polymer notes I have to admit that the new Canadian notes are among the least colorful and vibrant.

I thought exactly the same about the maple leaf feature. Who would carry a pen light with them to verify it? Without the pen, the feature can only be checked at night time, and only under the right conditions.

I do like the Latitude hologram feature though. We will see more polymer notes with this feature in the next few years as the polymer issuers such as Australia and New Zealand upgrade their current series.

Yes, polymer notes are counterfeited too, but generally not as much as paper notes. The polymer substrate itself is perhaps the most important security feature.

I do like the Latitude hologram feature though. We will see more polymer notes with this feature in the next few years as the polymer issuers such as Australia and New Zealand upgrade their current series.

The colours that show up in the hologram really make the polymer notes nice compared to other notes. You can actually see the colours of the ties on the Prime Ministers and you can also see different colours on the towers. The linework of the towers in the holograms provides a lot more detail then the details shown of the towers in the journey series.

In comparison to the Journey series, the the detail/depth of the portraits is terrible. I especially dislike the portrait on the $100, it looks muddy and very flat, while the $50/$20 are slightly better.

The colour of the notes are also too flat and not as deep or vibrant as the previous series. All that aside though, I do like the security windows on the notes and how well they seem to hold up in circulation. Handling the notes does take some time getting used to, but I find them easier to handle than paper notes.

I agree that the colours of the the polymer series so far are flat and dull. But I think that this is less a design deficiency and more just the nature of polymer notes. I have seen polymer notes from Australia, New Zealand, and have an almost complete set of Romanian notes and have to say that contrast is poor and colours are flat across the board.  The bright bleached white base that is possible with cotton paper is just not possible with polymer substrate, and so contrast suffers.

While I agree about the efficacy of the maple leaf window as a security feature, the polymer substrate itself with its clear windows is enough of a security feature in itself for it to not be an issue.

All of the above notwithstanding, I still do like the look and feel of the new notes. It's not my favourite Bank of Canada series but I do like it.

In '94-'95 I was living in Australia and was impressed at the polymer technology at the time having never seen anything like it before. At that time I remember seeing the $10's and $20's.. While the colours were muted compaired to their previous series.. they did still include a couple of colours on the not.

The frontier series to me seems very monochromatic. The portraits are all done with the same colour tone as the bill and there is very little contrasts in the bill what so ever. IMHO the best series has been the scenic series of the late 60's and early 70's. To me the colours really pop, the pictures are very interesting each with it's own story of our culture.

The polymer series is bland and boring.  I also do not like the feel of polymer notes. 
I think that the design of the notes so far has been lacklustre at best...Why couldn't they have put a more complete image of the Vimy memorial on the $20?  Who thought that an image of an icebreaker would prove to be inspirational on the $50?  And don't get me started on the $100...

Also, I have never had the opportunity to participate in any focus groups related to currency.  You'd think that they would ask people in a big city like Toronto...

If they could have made a note that was a paper/polymer hybrid, it would have been better. 

The Bird series is looking more and more attractive with time. 

The Bird series is looking more and more attractive with time. 

Yes, the Birds series is now second ugliest BoC series of all time... :-D

This is every good reason why my interest in Canadian banknotes and serial number prefixes is dying.

To be quite honest, I don't seem to really care for the new Polymer banknotes as much as previous issues.  The $100 and $50, I don't seem to really care for as much anymore.  In fact, the Polymer $50 is probably the worst $50 note ever made, IMO.  The $100 note, well, all I can say is, because of a more tan color than being chocolate brown in recent years, the Birds and the Scenes of Canada series $100's were ten times better than any issue since 2004 (it's a shame that the 1975 and 1988 issues had to be recalled, but life goes on).

But the ultimate reason why my interest in the Polymer banknotes is not as big as with previous issues is because of the lack of frequency of new prefixes.  There would be new prefixes coming for up to a year (for the $20, up to 2 years), and after that, there won't be any more new prefixes for some years, thus watering down my interest in serial numbers vs. banknotes.  This is why it looks like, so far, this will be one rare banknote series that I will enjoy the $20 more than anything else.  I feel kind of iffy about the new $10, as I feel that, if they decide to recycle BG* prefixes, or release FEW-FT* prefixes, then chances are, I may not care about the $10 bill as much any longer.

And, oh yeah, I think I will be doing away with cash and banknotes before the end of 2014.  By that time, the prefixes will have been fully issued, and my job will be done.  After all, interests do have a life cycle, and this interest of mine will have lasted 32 years when it will likely come to an end later in 2014.

In fact, the Polymer $50 is probably the worst $50 note ever made, IMO.

I think the 1954 $50 is the worst of the $50 notes.  It's certainly the most boring one, if not also the ugliest.

I can't say that I'm surprised by the negative reaction to the new polymer Frontier Series.  We have to admit to ourselves that we are somewhat a biased group who value the art/design/technological innovations in our currency.  Many long term collectors look back to older series for their traditional allegorical designs or significant serial numbers as reason to collect a particular denomination (not to mention its rarity).  We all want notes with nice eye appeal.  Error collectors not only like to see the glaring imperfections in our paper money, but also enjoy solving the mystery of what went wrong with its production.

As time passed, the priorities of the BOC has changed from Art/Security with an emphasis on our British roots/traditions to more focus on our Canadian national identity through North American scenery/themes/priorities.  This became more prevalent in the 70's/80's so that we came to expect symbols of national identity & the only links to our past were from our former prime ministers.  Scenery & nature were still very much a part of their designs but computer technology made it almost too easy for counterfeiters to "cash in" on the beautiful simplicity of these series.

Then the focus of our currency shifted slightly with a reflection on technology, women's rights, native roots, remembrance and hockey for the Canadian Journey series.   While the designs may have tickled our sense of patriotism they were easy fodder for the forgers.   I believe that the technological flaws (its vulnerability to be so easily reproduced) is what may have annoyed some collectors I've met when discussing our last paper money to be phased out.  It is no small wonder that the BOC are now preoccupied with our currency's security/functionality/longevity (rather than its beauty).

Perhaps I will get used to the drab colours and lack of original designs of the Frontier Series but it will surely take some time. The fonts seems simplistic & why would they allow the startling white haunting limestone of the Vimy Memorial be portrayed in lime green? I couldn't agree more with many of the luke warm posts here but again I'm trying to maintain some perspective (& yet I'm a paper money collector so why should I gravitate towards dull coloured plastic?)   I  think ambivalence is to be expected.