20 ice mark note
The 20 ice mark note is the first denomination of ice marks to be issued by the Central Bank of Westarctica. As such, it has become the first legal tender paper currency ever created by Westarctica.
History
The note was designed by the Baron of Bastanchury in his capacity as Commissioner of the Treasury. There was significant debate about backing the ice marks with some real commodity, such as silver, but this was ultimately rejected as financially infeasible.
The Central Bank has not yet announced the proposed exchange rate for the marks.
Release
Although the final number of notes to be printed has not yet been decided, the 20 ice mark notes are anticipated to be released in late 2018 with a printing of around 600 - 1,000 individual banknotes.
Characteristics
The 20 ice mark note is 70 mm x 140 mm in size (2.75 in x 5.5 in). It will be printed on paper that has a high cotton rag content, containing red and blue fibers, and without optical brighteners. This means the note will have a feel very similar to American banknotes. It will have no watermark but will include a set of security features. Each note will have an individual serial number and may also have a unique corresponding QR code which bearers can scan with a smartphone for more information.
As a high-cotton-rag paper, the notes will withstand a substantial amount of wear and tear, and the laser printer toner used to print them will not dissolve in water, meaning the notes can be entirely submerged in water and should emerge undamaged. However, like all paper, the notes are not fire resistant, and are not able to resist deliberately inflicted damage such as tearing or marring with permanent ink.