It’s out! Over the next few weeks, you’ll be able to walk into your local bank and get your hands on Canada’s first polymer bank note.
On Nov. 14, the Bank of Canada issued the new $100 polymer note and Canadians can now see and feel what all the hoopla is about.
As the images printed on the note and its leading-edge security features demonstrate, Canada’s new currency reflects the country’s spirit of innovation.
This is the most secure series of notes the Bank has ever issued. With its large window containing metallic elements, it’s like no other bank note in the world. The innovation in bank note security is a nice complement to the theme of the $100 note—medical innovation.
The note features the portrait of Sir Robert Borden on the front, and images that celebrate innovations in the field of medicine on the back.
Did You Know?
• The researcher at the microscope depicts Canada’s long-standing commitment to medical research.
• The DNA strand, the genetic blueprint of life, honours the researchers that have led the way in mapping our human genetic makeup in this field of medical science.
• The electrocardiogram (ECG) symbolizes our contributions to heart health, including the invention of the pacemaker by John Hopps in 1950.
• The insulin bottle illustrates an accomplishment that has saved millions of lives worldwide. The discovery of insulin to treat diabetes was made by Canadian researchers Frederick Banting and Charles Best in 1921.
Each note of the new series will have a theme that celebrates ‘Frontiers,’ not only in the sense of Canada’s nation building, but also for our role on the world stage. These notes centre on Canadian accomplishments felt both at home and well past our borders . . . even in space.
Alongside the $100 note, the images of the $50 were unveiled in June. The $50 features the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Amundsen, a research icebreaker, and it will be issued next March.
The images of the remaining notes in the series have yet to be unveiled, but they will feature the following:
$20—The Canadian National Vimy Memorial (to be issued in late 2012)
$10—The Canadian train (to be issued in 2013)
$5—Canadarm2 and Dextre (to be issued in 2013)
As the $100 note shows, these themes speak to a people inspired by a culture of ingenuity, determination and courage.
Visit www.bankofcanada.ca/banknotes and watch the five-part video series called The Life of a Bank Note: From the Lab to Your Wallet. The series explores each of the following:
• Research and Development
• Design
• Production
• Distribution
• A Greener Life