'Make coins harder to counterfeit'.

RETIRED school teacher James Bayliss said: "It's a good idea to have a completely new coin, but not a note. Like many people, I can't tell the difference between a real or counterfeit coin, but a coin is still better." The 64-year-old from Great Barr believed more notes would become coins in the future. "Paper money becomes more obsolete the richer a society is. What is needed is a different design on coins that is more difficult to forge." Rosa Codrington, aged 61, was a fan of the old pounds 1 note before it was removed from circulation in 1988.

She said: "They weighed less and were easier to carry around and sort out in a purse." The keen gardener had experienced counterfeit coins and said plastic notes may be a way to address the problem.

"Whenever I find I fake coin, it is a pain but I put it to one side so no-one else goes through the same process. If plastic notes are harder to fake then it's definitely a good idea to bring them back." Bordesley Green resident Asif Ali strongly opposed the proposal to bring back the pounds 1 note.

He said: "The administration costs will be billed to the taxpayer, as usual it's the poor in society who will end up paying. They should hold a public consultation first before forcing changes on people." Asif, aged 41, said it was the money-making procedure that needs to be addressed. "No matter what coin or note is produced people always find ways to make fakes, combatting that should be the main priority." Call centre manager Natalie Keall was just a tot when the pounds 1 note was phased out and had no memory of it's heyday. The 20-year-old said fake money should be the "least of the Government's worries" during the recession..

She said: "There will always be counterfeit money around, that's not the biggest problem in the country at the moment. Even if a new plastic note was made, someone would eventually find a way to copy it then we'll be back to square one." Unemployed Michelle Thomas did not think the re-introduction of pound notes was necessary because they were "dirty". The 37-year-old said: "Coins are more hygienic as they can be washed." Julie Thomas, aged 35, said it would be easier to "stick with coins."

CAPTION(S):

Mixed reaction: clockwise from top left, James Bayliss, Rosa Codrington, Asif Ali, Natalie Keall, Michelle Thomas and Julie Thomas.