New Journey $5 Test Note (This is NOT a Joke!)

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If it's really a new material, maybe the BOC runs a short sequence of test notes in order to learn the durability of this new material. And I think that if the still unproven "test" is successful, the improved fiver to be released in November could be made with this material...

It's to follow...

Don't you think the new five's to be released in November are already printed and warehoused somewhere?

Of course they are, and they are paper, not polymer. Following the test run, the Bank will take a considerable amount of time to analyze the results, draw conclusions, make decisions, place orders, etc. So, if they are doing polymer tests now, then assuming they pass, we will see all notes going to polymer probably around the time of the next series.

Brent!

You make a very good point. This is WAY too late for use in the current series.  

It will be a few years EASY before these notes are even considered for full scale implementation!  

Copperpete suggests:

And I think that if the still unproven "test" is successful, the improved fiver to be released in November could be made with this material...

but Eyevet questions: that wouldn't

new five's to be released in November are already printed and warehoused somewhere?

then BWJM concludes:

Of course they are, and they are paper, not polymer

I would suggest that BWJM is correct provided the "polymer notes" in question are indeed test notes, and not just an initial trial run.  If they're an advance trial run (320,000 from CBN printers or BABN) for the BOC then they may or may not monitor how durable/economical they are.  The new security featured notes in November could be of the same material because it generally doesn't take them long to implement new technology these days.  The notes could even be printed by BABN which has the technology (and we've seen the BOC fiddle with prefixes before).
 
We have such short memories!  The BOC are so full of surprises nothing is certain.  Look at the insert replacement policy they instituted at the end of the Birds (dropping the X designation), or the prefixes of the new $20, or the new Journeys themselves(none of which were tested externally)?  Look at the lasting Impressions set which were printed by the CBN co with BABN prefixes.

In today's technologically savvy world (with scanners and computers) I'm sure they can test whatever notes they want-- (do notes need a special designation but a prefixed SN?) and I'm sure they  don't need to be a "rocket scientists" to figure out that their old paper $5.00's haven't been holding up well.  

Do they need to test polymer notes when polymers have already been tested the world over? Do they need a few years before full scale implementation.  I really doubt it.  This is old school thinking.  A penny pinching BOC would surely just go ahead with whatever is the most expedient/economical note to use.  Or whatever managment dictates. But then again: they're a government agency and I've been plenty wrong before!

In the end: The specific range of HOW's discovered by X-Savior are important (no matter whether they're intended for testing or not). Whether the BOC considers them an advance trial run, a test note, or a sign of the times (for the next series) the notes are definitely a collector's item (and worth saving).

If polymer is on the horizon: Then crack open the champaigne!

I did have a look at one of these notes last Sat but didn't notice any difference between it and the HOT or U that I had with me. The HOTs and Us are somewhat thin and difficult to tear as compared to many of the earlier prefixes that generally had thicker feeling paper.

Maybe someone could do a test with a drop of water on the face of an HOW of the questionable range and an earleir prefix to see if they both wet thru. If a polymer coating was used it should resist water.

Gary

Do they need to test polymer notes when polymers have already been tested the world over?

The Zambian polymer notes printed in Canada did not hold up very well and there was considerable cost in fixing the problem and reprinting notes at no charge.  I'm sure they would want to prevent a similar disaster here in Canada.

Africa's first polymer bank notes to remain in circulation
 

Africa's first and only polymer banknotes, issued by the Bank of Zambia, will remain in circulation despite their disappointing performance, the bank said Tuesday.

 

Speaking at a press briefing, Bank of Zambia's Deputy Governor Denny Kalala denied the rumor that it is withdrawing the controversial polymer banknotes from circulation.

 

"The position is that the Bank of Zambia is not withdrawing the polymer notes from circulation, rather it is expediting the process of exchanging unfit or faded polymer banknotes with fit notes," he said.

 

"This process of exchanging unfit notes, whether paper or polymer, with fit banknotes is a routine and on-going core activity of any currency issuing authority including the Bank of Zambia. The replacement process is intended to ensure a continuous flow of fit and clean banknotes in circulation," he said.

 

The Bank of Zambia officially launched 500 kwacha and 1,000 kwacha polymer banknotes on September 26, 2003. It was the first and is still the only African country to have polymer notes in circulation.

 

Bank officials said the polymer notes, printed by the Canadian Banknote Company, could last four times longer than the normal paper notes.

 

Even though the cost of polymer notes is twice that of the paper notes, bank officials said the long life span of polymer notes will result in much lower costs for the bank to maintain quality of notes in circulation.

 

According to bank officials, there are currently 22 countries in the world that have issued polymer notes, while Romania, Australia and New Zealand have gone full polymer notes.

 

The fate of polymer notes in Zambia, however, has been bad in the very beginning.

 

Even during the launch of the polymer notes, it had been found that the serial numbers on the notes could be easily rubbed off.

 

The bank then held urgent discussions with the printer and the problem was rectified. The printer met the cost for issuance of new notes and the withdrawal of problem notes.

 

Months after the polymer notes were in circulation, new problem occurred again. There are growing public complaints of notes features fading seriously.

 

Deputy Governor Kalala said the bank has raised the issue to the printer who have undertaken to take corrective measures to ensure that the notes perform to expected standard.

 

"Following our observation of accelerated fading and public concerns, further tests and analysis of notes were undertaken. These tests indicate that the principal problem of accelerated fading of notes appear to be a printing problem related to the formulation of the special inks," he said.

 

While the problem is being sorted out by the printer, the bank appealed to the public to change their unfit notes for fit ones at any commercial banks.

 

"The Bank of Zambia would like to assure members of the public of its commitment to ensuring that the benefits of using polymer technology accrue to the country," he said.

 

The deputy governor dismissed speculations of any foul play in the bidding process in selecting the printer. "We followed the procedures that are normally observed," he said.

 

Kalala also said that his bank has no regret for choosing to become the first African central bank to adopt polymer notes.

 

"In everything, there are people who start and there are people who follow," he said.

 

The deputy governor said polymer notes is a proven technology and that the problem of accelerated fading has a solution in the industry.

 

As a support to his case, he said Singapore has recently introduced polymer notes that were withdrawn in the 1990s.

 

"We believe polymer notes is still the way for future," he said.

 

 

VERY INTERESTING!

I also heard that some polymers don't hold up well in humid climates.  A leading world paper dealer said that they're worse than paper in some countries where dirt is a problem too.  If there's lots of sand it tends to wear the notes quick.  So testing certainly could be back!

hmmm....

I have not yet felt the HOW notes but I did just try to tear a Unc HOT note and it was, as Gary stated, difficult to tear. If someone could try and rip one HOW note and one other of the more recent $5 notes to see if it is just as hard to tear or harder.

I just tore 2 HOTs in the 7 and 1 million ranges

I've got an HOP 3.2M, and it tears as expected: easily.

Yes Brent, the prefixes previous to the HOR notes have always felt lighter to me - those tear easily as expected. As for the HOR and on the have tore slightly harder - in my experience. James how did the HOTs tear? I know that it is possible to tear the HOT notes but it is just slightly harder to tear. Thoughts.

As outlined in the other thread, I tried, but failed to tear my HOW. My regular $5 note tore easily. HOW may not be the only prefix involved though.

Completely failed?? It was physically impossible or just super hard to tear? Can you tear a HOT note or equivalent to test both?

Brent: Tear one more HOP and a HOT to compare and I will replace them when we see each other next - I would like to see some more opinions. I believe that the HOR and prefixes after that are slightly harder to tear and the prefixes before that are easier. Thus the HOW notes would tear the same as the HOT notes.

The 2 HOT notes weren't exactly easy to tear but they weren't difficult to tear either.  I Tore a HOR and it was about the same.  It would be interesting to know how the HOY stand up.

James