If you ever come to Canada...

[Deep Thought]

You mentioned it's only the $50 and $100 bills that have the new plastic base, right? Kinda weird that all your big bills could melt away while one-dollar ones are fine o.o

[DJ Omnimaga]

There are no 1 dollar bill in Canada . They're coins. I think they used to exist, though. Also $2 bills got replaced by coins in 1996 and $0.01 coins will stop existing this Fall. $1000 bills stopped existing a few years ago I think. I think it's only the $50 and $100 bills that are plastic, because they have yet to replace the others. I wouldn't be surprised if new $5, 10 and 20 bills arrived in the future.

[Juju]

When they introduce new series of banknotes, they always start with the high-value notes ($50 and $100), then they introduce the low-value ones ($20, $10 and $5). The $20 bills are the most common since they're the only ones you can withdraw in an ATM.

[DJ Omnimaga]

I always thought it was the $20 that got changed first, since they're the most common ones. And yeah it's annoying how all you can withdraw at an ATM are $20 bills, especially when you're short on cash then need to buy like $3.01 of stuff.

[Juju]

Yeah well for the latter you can always go in a convenience store, buy something and ask for extra change. Sometimes, they even let you get change without buying something.

[DJ Omnimaga]

Yeah true. They tend to not like that much, though, because convenience stores rarely keep a lot of money, for safety reasons. In fact where I live, almost every convenience store even refuse $100 or even $50 bills.

[Juju]

It's even written on the door that the cashier never keeps more than $50. For $50 or $100 bills you're better going to the bank, although grocery stores will let you withdraw $100 (I did that today and it worked). Dunno if yours do that tho.

[DJ Omnimaga]

I think we can only withdraw if we buy something, but my place lets you change a $20 bill for coins and $5/10 bills most times, even without buying. You can even do the opposite: Bringing $60 of $0.01/0.05/0.10/0.25/1.00/2.00 coins or so and get bills instead, but for that you have to use the Coinstar machine near the exit, which keeps 10% of your money as a fee.