[amelius]

Isn't it true that if a banknote is torn in two, you can go to the bank and have it replaced?

[asdsa5325]

That's true in America too. (You have to have both halves in your possession, of course).

[JoshTriplett]

Anecdotally, you can do so without both halves, as long as the piece you have is clearly the majority of the bill.

I don't know either the relevant law or common institutional policies regarding that, though.

[extra88]

Banks might accept such more-than-half bills as a courtesy to their customers but ultimately it's the US Treasury that will take them and redeem them. If you have a bunch of partially destroyed notes, you should go to them.

http://bep.gov/services/currencyredemption.html

https://www.npr.org/2017/07/07/535920428/the-office-where-mu...

[gruez]

that's nowhere near as scaleable as "regular" notes that you can spend at any store without question.

[amelius]

I've seen people accept notes held together with scotch tape.

[Bakary]

In China it's quite common to handle very grimy and nearly destroyed notes that are 10 RMB and under.

[nallerooth]

About ten years ago, when I was working at Loomis, we accepted damaged banknotes as long as you had two thirds of the banknote.