Allegedly baked bills a matter of national security, says Canada's central bank
OTTAWA - Disclosing details of behind-the-scenes discussions about tales of melting banknotes could endanger national security or international relations, says Canada's central bank.
In response to a formal request from The Canadian Press, the Bank Of Canada released 134 pages of internal records — almost completely blanked out — concerning allegations its new polymer bills melted in the scorching summer sun.
The bank began issuing $100 polymer banknotes in late 2011, saying they were harder to counterfeit than paper notes and would last much longer.
Unconfirmed reports of cooked currency emerged in July when a Kelowna, B.C., bank teller said she had heard of cases in which several bills had melted together inside a car.
Soon after, a photo of scorched $100 bills surfaced in Ontario — purportedly after they were stored in a metal can next to a baseboard heater.
The bank swiftly denied that its new bills could be affected by heat in these ways.
