First polymer £5 note in UK unveiled.

[Deleted]

I lived in Bristol, England for 6 months in 2014. Something I found to be a bit annoying about the British currency system was that it has no 1 pound paper note, just 1 pound coins. Very inconvenient.

[caervek]

I am not going to eat one in the sticks, they probably use real meat there.

Come to the coast, we got Seagull Shish Kebabs for days :P

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I lived in Bristol, England for 6 months in 2014. Something I found to be a bit annoying about the British currency system was that it has no 1 pound paper note, just 1 pound coins. Very inconvenient.

We got rid of them in 1988 because coins and inflation had made them obsolete (Scotland still uses £1 notes IIRC).

[Deleted]

I lived in Bristol, England for 6 months in 2014. Something I found to be a bit annoying about the British currency system was that it has no 1 pound paper note, just 1 pound coins. Very inconvenient.

Its same with euro. Smallest paper is 5 euro. 1 and 2 are coins.

[Tyrianth]

I lived in Bristol, England for 6 months in 2014. Something I found to be a bit annoying about the British currency system was that it has no 1 pound paper note, just 1 pound coins. Very inconvenient.

As a Canadian I would never want to go back to paper dollar bills. Such a waste of space in my wallet. 1 and 2 dollar coins are where it's at. I can reach into my pocket and pull 3 coins and have it be $6, in the US the most that would be is $0.75.

[Azadina]

I lived in Bristol, England for 6 months in 2014. Something I found to be a bit annoying about the British currency system was that it has no 1 pound paper note, just 1 pound coins. Very inconvenient.

1 dollar/euro/pound is too small amount to be worth printing on paper. It's waste of space in wallet/purse So is cash in general, but those would be even more!

[Deleted]

As a Canadian I would never want to go back to paper dollar bills. Such a waste of space in my wallet. 1 and 2 dollar coins are where it's at. I can reach into my pocket and pull 3 coins and have it be $6, in the US the most that would be is $0.75.

15 one dollar bills is much easier to carry than 15 one pound coins.

Also, not true what you said about US currency. We have a .50 cent piece and 2 different 1 dollar coins.

[Tyrianth]

15 one dollar bills is much easier to carry than 15 one pound coins.

Also, not true what you said about US currency. We have a .50 cent piece and 2 different 1 dollar coins.

You have a 50 cent piece and 1 and 2 dollar coins that are rarely used. In any realistic scenario the most you would have it $0.75.

[Daedius]

Pft, savages... I've not carried cash in a long while -- everything I do is by card.

[Deleted]

You have a 50 cent piece and 1 and 2 dollar coins that are rarely used. In any realistic scenario the most you would have it $0.75.

Actually, we have 3 1 dollar coins (I forgot about the Susan B. Anthony). Doesn't matter if they are "rarely used", they exist.

BTW - why do you think they are "rarely used"? They are not as convenient as a 1 dollar note (we also have a 2 dollar note).

To each his own.

[Truhan]

You can wash paper money too. well i guess it depends on how it's made.

as for money, techniques to make it change all the time and most of the time you don't even notice, and a move to plastic seems inevitable.

American bills haven't been made from paper for a while now. It's made of cloth precisely to make it safer to wash and harder to counterfeit. Source: Me. I accidentally put a $5 in the wash this week, it was still more than usable after letting it air out a bit.

[Atrea]

15 one dollar bills is much easier to carry than 15 one pound coins.

Also, not true what you said about US currency. We have a .50 cent piece and 2 different 1 dollar coins.

Define "easier".

A wad of singles is no more easy to carry than a small handful of coins.
Coins weigh slightly more, but take up less physical space. They're also easier to count, harder to lose, and are not nearly as easy to destroy. They're also less likely to be rejected by vending machines, can be used for arcades and other entertainment purposes, and many other purposes that bills are impractical for.

Both cases are rather silly, because if you're carrying around $15, chances are you're not carrying it in $1 denominations.

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Actually, we have 3 1 dollar coins (I forgot about the Susan B. Anthony). Doesn't matter if they are "rarely used", they exist.

BTW - why do you think they are "rarely used"? They are not as convenient as a 1 dollar note (we also have a 2 dollar note).

To each his own.

They're rarely used because, by and large, Americans have been rather stubborn about changing.

When Canada introduced $1 coins back in 1987 (yes, I am dating myself, because I remember it clearly), $1 bills were still in circulation. People adopted the $1 coins more readily, and the decision was later made to get rid of $1 bills. The popularity of the $1 coin prompted a similar change with our $2 bills into coins.

If $1 bills were more convenient than $1 coins, how come $2 bills (which, like $1 coins, do exist) aren't commonly used in the United States? They're more convenient, yet they've never caught on.
It has nothing to do with convenience, and everything to do with being resistant to change. (Pun intended.)

[enragedgorilla]

Is there even a point in cash and coins anymore? Unless people deal in shady businesses?

Yes, Some people do not work in "normal jobs" and are paid in cash.Farmers market vendors,Roadside fruit sellers,Lawn mowing crews,Handy people, to name a few .

Some people have experience with banks being complete and utter idiots ,getting balances wrong or taking 3+ days for a check to clear ...so they take cash for payment as cash in hand is better than money in the bank....you can't get to because ,the system is down,there is an error,that check has not cleared yet.

Some people do not trust banks or financial institutions and should not be forced to use a private company to "hold" their money.

Some people don't see the reason to use a card for an item under $5 .
Takes longer to go through the card approval process than it does to get change.

There you go , some reasons.

[Azadina]

Yes, Some people do not work in "normal jobs" and are paid in cash.Farmers market vendors,Roadside fruit sellers,Lawn mowing crews,Handy people, to name a few .

Some people have experience with banks being complete and utter idiots ,getting balances wrong or taking 3+ days for a check to clear ...so they take cash for payment as cash in hand is better than money in the bank....you can't get to because ,the system is down,there is an error,that check has not cleared yet.

Some people do not trust banks or financial institutions and should not be forced to use a private company to "hold" their money.

Some people don't see the reason to use a card for an item under $5 .
Takes longer to go through the card approval process than it does to get change.

There you go , some reasons.

I can only comment for here, but that's illegal, so it would fit the shady business I mentioned Salary from jobs must be paid into a bank account.

[caervek]

15 one dollar bills is much easier to carry than 15 one pound coins.

So is a £5 note and a £10 note.

Or a £10 note, two £2 coins and a £1 coin...

[Deleted]

Only the thick or just plain lazy want cash to go away.

The Uk had a limited edition polymer note before the OPs which had a green glitter hologram on it.

[Deleted]

Salary from jobs must be paid into a bank account.

Why? Its common practice because its convenient, but its not a law.

[Azadina]

Why? Its common practice because its convenient, but its not a law.

Something to do with preventing corruption and tax evasion. Which is exactly what people do with cash payments. And yeah, it isn't optional.

[Cien]

Finally, England is changing to polymer bank notes and joins over 20 countries already using them. The new note is cleaner and artisitcally clearer than the current £5 note.

I think it looks cool, but I don't think it'll persuade me to stop using my card for smaller transactions.

Would it you?

i love it <3 i may have to get loads of fivers and collect them and stare at them and stroke them <3

[caervek]

Why? Its common practice because its convenient, but its not a law.

It's not law in the UK, they might be in a different country.

[Kalis]

It's not law in the UK, they might be in a different country.

Foreign types should just follow our laws, it would make life so much simpler.


And that includes you Scotland.