The Bank of Canada is issuing new bank notes made out of polymer (plastic) starting this fall. Included and scheduled for issue in 2013 is a $5 note that will include the Canadarm2 and Dextre.
The Bank of Canada says that “Canadarm2 and Dextre symbolize Canada’s continuing contribution to the international space program through robotics innovation“.
The $5 note along with new themes for the $100, $50, $20 and $10 notes were unveiled this morning at ceremony at the Bank fo Canada by Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty and RCMP Commissioner William J. S. Elliott and Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney.
Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty said “these bank notes evoke the country’s spirit of innovation, and their designs celebrate Canada’s achievements at home, around the world and in space. Bank notes are cultural touchstones that reflect and celebrate our Canadian experience.”
An image of the new $5 note was not released yet. However you can see the new $100 and $50 notes here which celebrate medical innovation and arctic research.
The Bank of Canada is switching to new polymer based notes. The notes will contain a number of unique security features that will make them difficult to counterfeit but easy to check. Most prominent are two transparent areas: the larger area extends from the top to the bottom of the note and contains complex holographic features; the other is in the shape of a maple leaf.
According to Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney “the Bank’s objective with every new series is to produce a bank note that Canadians can use with the highest confidence. The Bank is combining innovative technologies from around the world with Canadian ingenuity to create a unique series of bank notes that is more secure, economic and better for the environment.”