Polymer banknote

Common card · No. 231804

Polymer banknotes are banknotes made from a synthetic polymer such as biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP). Such notes incorporate many security features not available in paper banknotes, including the use of metameric inks. Polymer banknotes last significantly longer than paper notes, causing a decrease in environmental impact and a reduced cost of production and replacement. DuPont Tyvek polymer notes were experimentally issued by Haiti, Costa Rica, and The Isle of Man, from 1982. Modern polymer banknotes were developed by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and The University of Melbourne. They were first issued as currency in Australia during 1988 (coinciding with Australia's bicentennial year); by 1996, the Australian dollar was switched completely to polymer banknotes. Romania was the first country in Europe to issue a plastic note in 1999 and became the third country, after Australia and New Zealand, to fully...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Martin Kingsley from Melbourne, Australia, CC BY 2.0