On perfect banknotes

I refer to John R. Kerr's letter The perfect banknote of May 20.

If I remember correctly, my first experience of having greenbacks reduced in value (by one half or one percent depending on their "imperfection"), or rejected was some 15 years ago in the mid-1980s.

John Kerr may be surprised to hear that it was The Chase Manhattan Bank in Jakarta that dealt me the jolt. So, it is not necessary for him to "have an explanation of this by an Indonesian monetary expert to ease his bewildered mind". There is apparently a better source of information -- although this is no guarantee to alleviate his bewilderment -- because most banking people assume the same attitude everywhere in the world.

The rejection of less-than-perfect-banknotes became widespread over the years. John Kerr omits to mention that older US$100 banknotes are generally not accepted here, although some local banks (apparently not the foreign banks in Jakarta!) give them an equal value to the kepala besar (those with a bigger portrait in the middle) banknotes, which were issued more recently.

S. HARMONO

Jakarta