The New $5 and $10 Polymer series bills. Image via Bank of Canada

New $5 and $10 bills, the last of the Bank of Canada’s Polymer series, were unveiled this afternoon at the Bank of Canada’s head office in Ottawa by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Bank of Canada Governmor Mark Carney.

The new designs for both bills continue the “frontier” theme of the polymer series. The new $5 note, which features the Canadarm2 and Dextre, depicting Canada’s achievements in robotics, was unveiled by Commander Chris Hadfield from the International Space Station via satellite uplink. The innovative Canadarm2 and Dextre technologies have been used in the building and maintenance of the ISS and their image on the new $5 bill demonstrates “Canada’s ongoing contribution to the international space program.”

The new $10 bill was presented by Paul G. Smith, Chairman of the Board at VIA Rail Canada. It shows a train travelling through the Rocky Mountains to celebrate the joining of Eastern Canada with Western Canada by rail.

In a press release, Carney emphasized the role of polymer series in preventing counterfeiting and reducing our ecological footprint. The new bills’ security features, like those their $100, $50, and $20 predecesors include holographs, transparency, and raised ink, which make their authenticity easy to verify. In addition, the durability of the polymer more than doubles the lifetime of each bill.

The new notes won’t make it into consumer hands until November, giving businesses an opportunity to update their machinery for handling cash. And though the Bank of Canada denies rumours that the new polymer material melts, the release of thew new bills will give consumers unwilling to risk a $20 to test melting rumours a cheaper opportunity to do so.  

[via Bank of Canada]

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Eva Voinigescu is an intern at Toronto Standard. Follow her on Twitter @EvaVoinigescu.

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