Paper or Plastic?

Image from Berry Review

I have been to Australia so many times that the fact the money is made out of plastic (polymer) and comes in a variety of colors and sizes does not really phase me anymore. When I first saw it, I thought it looked like Monopoly money. The smallest bill, the $5 bill (or note as they call it here), has pinkish tones, followed in size by the $10 bill which is blue, the $20 bill which is orange, the $50 bill which is yellow, and the $100 bill which is green. Not to mention that every note and coin features a photo of Queen Elizabeth. Now that is a real monopoly.

There is something about the United States currency- the monochromatic green, the portraits of presidents, a wad of equally-sized notes- that makes it feel powerful in my eyes. While seeing that the US dollar has nearly matched the Australian dollar in past months, my argument is somewhat defeated.

Anyway, in addition to adding a nice color palette to my wallet, there are other benefits to the Australian dollar. The fact that there are varied colors and sizes makes it easy to pick the correct bill from your wallet on the spot (although I am still learning which color corresponds with what number). It takes about a minute every time I approach a cashier. The polymer does not allow for tearing and apparently, because of it, the bill lasts four times as long as the average paper bill. I did try to light the corner a $5 bill on fire to see how it would respond (which I think is illegal…sshhh) and it began to melt and distort. It’s still useable. This is a great link for some quick and more in-depth info.

Image from terratourist

And then there are the coins… Getting used to walking around with a pound of coins in my pocket will take some time to get accustomed to. There are 5cent, 10cent, 20cent, 50cent, $1, and $2 coins. Back in the States when you have some coins, it does not usually add up to much, but here your pocket of coins could be an easy $20. Notice how there is no 1cent coin. Everything is rounded up or down. While the debate is still brewing in the United States, Australia got rid of 1cent and 2cent coins in the early 90’s, which I think was a good idea.

So the big question… Paper or plastic?