Release Day for $50 Polymer?

News: Registration is free here at the CPMF!

Anybody know what day these will hit the banks?  All I've heard is "March 2012"...

Keep watching the Bank of Canada's Media Centre page. That's where, in a media advisory, they announced the issue date of the $100. That announcement came only two weeks ahead of the issue date.

The polymer $50 notes will be released on March 26: http://www.bankofcanada.ca/media-room/upcoming-events/

Excellent!

Any predictions for the prefix, I am thinking FMS

Any predictions for the prefix, I am thinking FMS

I think so too. FMS-FMZ and then GHA-GHZ (or possibly EMA-EMZ).

I'm glad to hear this information.  I saw someone listing polymer $50 notes on another auction site.  Some people just can't wait.  Oh, and the first prefix will be JHS 

I tried to pick out the serial numbers from the following video showing polymer $50s going into the shredding machine at 2:30, but couldn't read them after much trying:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWTn5vM76yA&feature=plcp&context=C38fc0deUDOEgsToPDskJ-LGOHoBTjaUqc5Hl6nfZk

What's interesting about the $50s I saw in that video is it was probably an early production run with a number of differences in design. If you look closer, the "Bank of Canada" intaglio text extends into the transparent band, there's a white border on the back around the maple leaf window, and the building in the hologram is the West Block like the $100s (the final design has a different building, I'm not sure which one it is?)

(the final design has a different building, I'm not sure which one it is?)

It's one of the four north towers of the Centre Block, on the side facing the Ottawa River.

new fifty coming out on March 26 is AHU .  Confirmed by by bank if. Canada.  Cannot show you pictures.  Cannot downlad picture from blackberry.

[edit]Photos below. --BWJM[/edit]

Cheers
Polarbear

So the CBN is taking over the Prefix "A" from the BABN?

So the CBN is taking over the Prefix "A" from the BABN?

I don't think this is the case, prefix "A" must still be printed by BABN (BA). Both CBN and BA are printing the initial supply of polymer notes until 2013. Starting in 2013 it will be exclusively CBN.

I am right now looking at AHU 9863016.   The rep said this is the new note to be circulated this month



Polarbear

Pictures from polarbear:

{http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/368/img2012030400292.jpg:http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/368/img2012030400292.th.jpg} {http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/2290/img2012030400293.jpg:http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/2290/img2012030400293.th.jpg}

These were taken by him personally at a trade show where the Bank of Canada was in attendance for the purposes of introducing the new notes to cash handlers.  This is the real deal.

My observations?  The background looks identical to the $100s - same basic shade of beige.  Without having one of the notes in my hand to compare alongside the $100, I'll venture to say I fear that these will be easily confused.