Observation (weight) $5 Bundle 2006

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Those bundle weren't manipulated.  I received them from the Bank of Canada in a sealed (or striped) package.

They have always been keep at a normal temperature.

Note: In the same brick (10 bundles) it may have a difference of 3 grams between bundles.

http://dinfo.ca/bundles/bundle1.jpg

http://dinfo.ca/bundles/bundle2.jpg

http://dinfo.ca/bundles/bundle3.jpg

http://dinfo.ca/bundles/bundle4.jpg



APP -- 122 grams
HPM -- 108 grams
HPK -- 114 grams
HPA -- 115 grams
HPU -- 110 grams
HPT -- 111 grams
HPM -- 109 grams
HPS -- 113 grams
HAG -- 107 grams

Those bundle weren't manipulated.  I received them from the Bank of Canada in a sealed (or striped) package.

They have always been keep at a normal temperature.

Note: In the same brick (10 bundles) it may have a difference of 3 grams between bundles.

APP -- 122 grams
HPM -- 108 grams
HPK -- 114 grams
HPA -- 115 grams
HPU -- 110 grams
HPT -- 111 grams
HPM -- 109 grams
HPS -- 113 grams
HAG -- 107 grams

Thank you very much for sharing. Not sure if you had some reason to make these measurements and also to share them but given that I have not seen anyone else sharing this before it is an interesting addition to the general knowledge about the bank notes

There are many interesting observations that can be made about the information you have provided. Here are my two cents worth on the weight issues.

You have listed two HPM prefixes and I believe one of them should be HPN as shown in your pictures. Not a big deal there.

The variations within the CBN prefixes range from 107 gms to 115 gms. That is about 8 grams compared to your variation within a brick of 3 grams. The simple mean of CBN notes is 111 gms (rounded).

The BABN prefix is at 122 grams. This difference appears to be statistically significant and can perhaps be explained by the fact that APP prefix has full varnish compared to all the CBN prefixes which have partial varnish.

How do you explain the wide variation within the CBN prefix?

Were the weights taken with the straps or without the straps? The picture shows that there are different types of straps and if the weights were taken with the straps then it is possible that some of the variations could be a result of the strap. It should be noted that even for the same types of straps the amount of length in the strap can vary and the amount of glue in the strap can vary so even for the "same looking strap" there could be significant variation. I think this might be the major contributor of the variation

As a way of comparison the Bank of Canada in one of its studies has indicated that a bundle of $20 journey notes without the strap weighs 102 grams.

The following other reasons could cause the variations - variation in amount of ink, variation in amount of varnish, variation in amount of paper weight and variation in size. The variation of the lowest and highest weights around the mean are: 4 gms in 111 gms or 3.6%.

A 3.6% variation in length would mean that the note would have to be long or short by 5.5 mm or approximately 1/4 inch. This does not appear to be the case. So variation in size could not explain such a large variation in weight.

One other thing that can cause variation is the moisture content. However if all these notes are maintained at the same temperature and relative humidity then their moisture content variation should be minimal (except for the fully varnished note).

Given all of the above I would venture to make the following conclusions:

The weight difference between CBN and BABN prefix is a result of the full varnish in the case of BABN.

The weight difference between the CBN prefixes is most likely because of the strap. If however the weight presented are without the strap then it would seem that for such a large difference of 3.6% around the mean it would have to be either the amount of ink or the variation in the weight of the paper. However unlike the difference between the CBN and the BABN prefix I do not believe the variations are significant enough to indicate some purposeful change in any of the underlying materials used in the note making.

Separately I will share thoughts on the other observations.

Those bundle weren't manipulated.  I received them from the Bank of Canada in a sealed (or striped) package.


APP -- 122 grams
HPM -- 108 grams
HPK -- 114 grams
HPA -- 115 grams
HPU -- 110 grams
HPT -- 111 grams
HPM -- 109 grams
HPS -- 113 grams
HAG -- 107 grams

Looking at the pictures provided there are some additional observations worth noting.

I notice that some of the bundles have a clear wrap on them and some of them have a sticker with the Canadian flag. I have never seen bundles like that coming in a brick or have received bundles like that from the bank.

Within the bundles there are at least 4 different types of straps"

• white middle with green edges
• white with CBN printed on it on HPU
• white  with some printing on HPA
• white with no printing on APP

I think the white with no printing on APP actually has a print on the other side. It is the symbol showing the BoC building which was the standard strap used by BABN

My research indicates that the white strap with CBN comes from bundles that are packaged at CBN.

My research indicates that the straps with green edges actually does not originate directly from the printers in this case CBN. They actually originate from the Bank of Canada note processing centres. The BoC has at least two such centres where it processes circulated notes and bundles them. That is not to suggest that these notes are not new. On the contrary it is believed that the BoC had been running tests on the printed notes. In many cases that I have observed notes in the bundles with green edges were very much mixed like the notes in the bundles of $5's of polymer series.

I am not sure about the strap that is on the HPA. I did not have the opportunity to examine any HPA bundles. I am not sure if CBN used that type of strap before changing to the one with CBN printed on it.

Another observation pertains to the first note in the bundle. Unless the notes within the bundle have been shuffled for whatever reasons I notice that the first note in the following prefixes does not start with an XXXXX00 note as it would be expected (unless of course there is a replacement - and none of the ranges seem to suggest a replacement)

So the bundles with the following prefixes start with non XXXXX00 notes:

HPA - starts with 8974370
HPT - starts with 8753301
HPM - starts with 3676142
HPS - starts with 4068998
HAG - starts with 6894040

Are you able to confirm whether that is how the bundle is or if the notes have been rearranged? Can you confirm that each of the bundles that you show either has notes from 00 to 99 or had replacements in them?

Again thank you for sharing.

Observation (weight) $5 Bundle 2006

Should this not be weights of 9 individual bundles within 1 brick?

So that we're clear: a bundle is 100 notes and a brick is 10 bundles (not 9 as pictured).

Re: the weights, I agree with the observations made my Rupiah: in terms of the variable strap sizes and the possibility notes are cut to varying dimensions.  As I stated in an earlier thread (re: what I believe to be roller transfer of ink) I've seen many minor production problems with the HP_ series of CBN notes.  The BABN notes (APP prefix) could have different paper (as well as differing dimensions, quantities of ink, varnish added)

I have seen many notes cut off size with the most noticeable variation occurring above and below the security thread.  With extra paper there would be extra weight with bundles that contain notes with these sloppy cuts.     

I have seen   http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/3836/M5cpEP.jpg

Very interesting facts !! I never thought of weighing a bundle or brick 

Thanks for sharing

I think that the variation in the weight for one bundle of notes reflects simply the normal accepted tolerance margins in the process of making of the paper (or polymer) used, and the slight variations in the amount of the different inks applied. 

Think that a note have a thickness of about 0,1 mm (or about 100 micrometers).  To achieve a tolerance of ±5% represent a variation of ±5 micrometers in the thickness of the paper, over all the surface, which is probably the limit the process can economically attain (for mass production). 

So, over a entire printed sheet, if you can weight precisely (0,1 mg precision) each one of the 45 notes cut in the sheet, you will probably not find two notes having exactly the same weight.  Overall, the difference should average out, but it's valid only over a large number of samples.  One hundred notes is not a perfectly representative sample over the tens of millions notes printed.

It's interesting to see that there is a variation in the weight of a bundle, but it's simply normal.