Bank of Canada Unveils The New $5 and $10 Polymer Bank Notes

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Well, they ain't bad.  I do prefer the $5 to the $10.  I find the train image lacks something; like it's too simplistic (can't find a better word).

I can see why the focus group thought the space image on the $5 was "cartoonish."  But I don't think it's overly bad.

I agree with Marc.  Of the two bills that were unveiled today, the $5 bill seems to trump to my taste over the $10 bill, despite claims that the image appears to be cartoonish, but I think the designers did a good job, regardless - at least they did their best.  This will probably be one rare banknote series that I will probably like the $5 bill more than the $10 bill.

HBG and FTH prefixes are seen in an image in this article: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/04/30/new-plastic-5-10-bills-canada_n_3186674.html.

I guess we will see HAM-HAZ, HBA-HBZ prefixes on $5 notes and FEW-FEZ, FTA-FTZ prefixes on $10 notes.

HBG and FTH prefixes are seen in an image in this article: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/04/30/new-plastic-5-10-bills-canada_n_3186674.html.

I guess we will see HAM-HAZ, HBA-HBZ prefixes on $5 notes and FEW-FEZ, FTA-FTZ prefixes on $10 notes.

That doesn't come as a surprise, seeing that BABN's announcement of no longer printing banknotes after 2012 has proven to be reality.

FEW to FEZ: 3 Prefixes
FTA to FTH: 8 Prefixes

Looks like we're going to be seeing about 11 or 12 new prefixes for the $10 during the course of 2013-2014.  And we'll be seeing denominational letter B for the first time since the short-lived $2 CB* run in 1995. Yep, with a fresh denominational letter appearing for the first time in nearly 20 years vs. one denominational letter seen only a few years ago (with the BT* run), it's a wonder that I think the $5 bill will probably be more enjoyable than the $10 bill.

I would have enjoyed the new $10 bill if we would have seen the conclusion of the BF* run and CD* prefixes (not the BG* and BJ* prefixes, since I already saw them before), so it looks like it's going to be sometime in the 2020s before we get to see the FF* run and likely a long time after that when we find out where we'll be after FFZ.

I guess we will see HAM-HAZ, HBA-HBZ prefixes on $5 notes and FEW-FEZ, FTA-FTZ prefixes on $10 notes.

Hmm didn't I predict HAM and FEW a while ago?

I have $2's with prefix EGG.  Will have to take a HAM and EGG montage. 

Here's another cool picture of a 5$ :

They did a great job on the $10. Its a very nice looking note. 

Here are pictures of the actual notes:

{http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4016/20130430t183407z4603816.jpg:http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4016/20130430t183407z4603816.th.jpg}{http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/4880/20130430t173223z4381567.jpg:http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/4880/20130430t173223z4381567.th.jpg}

I prefer the $10 over the $5 for its appealing colour.  Laurier looks very different on this note compared to other portraits the BofC has used.

Laurier looks very different on this note compared to other portraits the BofC has used.

I agree, my initial reaction to the portraits, is that they look like cartoon renditions.

I don't mind the designs but its the fonts that I find the most disappointing on the Frontiers series.   I suppose they're trying to make the notes appear "contemporary" or modern looking but I feel that these fonts have the opposite effect (like they're cartoonish). 

I like the newly polished images of each PM (they appear more realistic - esp in the hologram) but I am bracing myself for the colours.  They always look so much more vibrant & colourful in digital form.  Once they've been printed they barely reflect light and appearing incredibly dull. 

I'm wondering about how Hadfield got his note?  Is he brought it with luggages when he took the soviet rocket to go to the ISS or he found it in a separate shipping specially addressed to him (with other things in a cargo)?...

If he brought the note with him, it means that the notes were already printed when he took the flight to the ISS (since December 19th 2012).  So these notes won't have the new signature anytime soon...

I'm wondering about how Hadfield got his note?  Is he brought it with luggages when he took the soviet rocket to go to the ISS or he found it in a separate shipping specially addressed to him (with other things in a cargo)?...

If he brought the note with him, it means that the notes were already printed when he took the flight to the ISS (since December 19th 2012).  So these notes won't have the new signature anytime soon...

I don't for a second doubt he got it prior to his journey to the ISS and took a secrecy pledge (or something like that).  So yeah, they've been printed for quite some time.

I suspect the first notes we'll see with Carney's successor will be $20s down the road in 2014.

The vignette in the $10 and $100 notes goes into the bottom border area (where the serial numbers are located). I wonder why only the $10 and $100 notes are like that.

The top portion of the vignette in the $10 note goes all the way from one side to the other. This seems appealing compared to vignettes in the other notes. Also the green coloured tree in the $10 vignette gives it a unique appearance. To me the mountains in the vignette going from one side to the other and the green coloured tree make this a winner amongst all the notes.

The solar flare in the $5 note around the earth provides an interesting appeal to that note. That along with the stars make it interesting.

I wonder how the real notes would look if their colour brightness was the same as the colour brightness of the illustrated notes that the BoC is using in their media releases.

Has anyone else picked up on the "1" in the $100 notes and the $10 notes. In the window the "1" is sans serif like "l" compared to the other locations where it is a serif like "1". I wonder why they did it that way.

That doesn't come as a surprise, seeing that BABN's announcement of no longer printing banknotes after 2012 has proven to be reality.

Does that mean we will no longer see prefixes starting with A, B or C? CBN uses E,F,G and H but is it possible they could use BABN's letters?

To me the mountains in the vignette going from one side to the other and the green coloured tree make this a winner amongst all the notes.

Well don't get too attached to that tree...while it does stand out in the rendered version, the "real deal" will appear more subdued: 

{http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/8813/4489c8213142492aa1f8d9e.jpg:http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/8813/4489c8213142492aa1f8d9e.th.jpg}

However I do share your sentiment in choosing the $10 note as my favourite also.  I like the colour and the use of the train on the back.  My second favourite is the $50 note followed by the $5.