Understanding the Indestructible Nature of Australia's Money

Australian money — which is also referred to as the dollar, just like in the U.S. — has long been the topic of conversation for jealous Americans. First, the bills are undeniably colorful, which makes them a fun find when you come across them. Secondly, they feature some more advanced security measures, which make them harder to counterfeit.

But one of the biggest draws of the AUD has to do with the fact that Aussies don't exactly have to worry about forgetting a banknote in their pocket.

That's because these dollars are made of something that makes them especially good at withstanding occasional exposure to water, such as going through the wash or getting soaked on a rainy day.

Australian dollars are so durable that they have prompted many Americans to wonder if their money is made out of plastic. While not made from the traditional fibers that make up the U.S. dollar, there's nothing funny about Australia's money. Keep reading to learn more about what Aussie cash is made out of.

Beloved Australian cartoon characters Bluey and Bingo may call money dollar bucks, but in Australia, the cash hardly resembles the U.S. dollar at all. That's because it's not made from linen and cotton like our currency is, but instead it's made from a plastic polymer.

According to the Reserve Bank of Australia, the country's paper money is made from plastic pellets that have been melted down and blown into a massive bubble that is then pressed together to create a polymer film.

The polymer film develops a laminated finish due to this process, and that finish is later coated with a special ink in certain areas to give the appearance of an opaque finish. Other areas are kept free of this finish so that the note can have a clear window, which helps cut down on the counterfeiting process.

After this, the film is cut into different-sized sheets, depending on the types of bills they will be used for. These come in $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 denominations.

While people joked on Reddit about how Australian money survives the washing machine "better than my clothes do," there is some truth to the durability of the Aussie dollar.

According to Ace Money Transfer's blog, these notes can survive more than just the washing machine. While the cash is waterproof, it can also endure low levels of heat, like that you would find in your washing machine. Additionally, the notes are more durable in general, which makes them last longer.

The Reserve Bank of Australia also notes that the money has a tactile addition that allows the visually impaired to "read" the money using their fingers, which allows them to quickly and easily discern different denominations on their own.

While Australia's money seems like it comes from the future, Wikipedia says the country has actually been using these notes since 1988, when they were first introduced during the Australia's bicentennial year.