October 10, 2003
The New Color of Money
Did we really need a new design? Has it already been 7 - 10 years since the last one? Hell, I still can't tell a real note from a counterfeit one and I'm not just talking about the last design, I'm talking about the one before that! Not anymore though, this time I'll know what to look for so if I'm in line ahead of you, it's gonna be a wait while I look for all the new fangled security features on the new bills. And it'll be twice the wait if I forget to bring my reading glasses!
Posted by
Leimamo at October 10, 2003 10:07 PM
Comments
Posted by Ryan on October 10, 2003 10:16 PM:
These were a big deal today where I work. We've actually been circulating nice glossy informational brochures put out by the Treasury several months ago. I'm wondering how good the PR campaign was this time - as I remember the new larger denomination bills (with the offset, larger portrait) were rejected often by suspicious merchants.
U.S. money is always so boring! Tough as they are to stuff neatly in your wallet, my favorite are the paper currencies that have both different designs and colors but sizes to indicate the denominations. To the visually impaired, I'm certain that's a feature, not a quirk.
Posted by Glen Miyashiro on October 10, 2003 10:24 PM:
I am always impressed by just how durable paper currency is. As a teenager I sometimes thoughtlessly left dollar bills in my pockets and found them after they had gone all the way through the laundry - still as good as new! Gives you a new appreciation for "money laundering".
Posted by Leimamo on October 10, 2003 10:35 PM:
As a teenager, I'd have been happy if I had a dollar bill to go in my pocket... =g=
Ryan, paper yen have different sizes for the different denominations, starting from 1000 yen up. I've been here for 2 years and still get confused with the coin yen. And it amazes me how little value we put on coins. A 500 yen (coin) is nearly worth 5 US dollars but when it's in coin form, we tend to spend it alot quicker than if it were in paper form.
Posted by Glen Miyashiro on October 10, 2003 11:12 PM:
Which reminds me, I was wondering... how and when will Hawaii decide on its state quarter design? I heard that Wisconsin recently chose theirs - the governor selected a "cow and cheese" design over a competing "historical explorer with Indian" one.
Posted by ali on October 11, 2003 1:30 PM:
Just had to smile when I heard about the new bills. When the last ones came out, there were quite a few assaults when some of the area's unsavory types thought that they were passed fake money. I heard of one particular (must be low level, if not low IQ) drug dealer who actually tore up a bunch of $100s and subsequently got his own butt kicked for the mistake.
Posted by lemurs on October 12, 2003 7:08 AM:
I really like the look of the new currency. It's prettier, harder to counterfeit, and kind of cool. We have a huge poster of the new twenty at work, and I can't wait to see a live one.
The thing that bugs me though, is that they'll have new twenties, fifties, and hundreds, like they did last time, but when will we do over the tens, fives, ones, and twos so we have a whole matching set of currency?
Heck, when was the last time the two got a redesign, anyway?
Posted by mel on October 12, 2003 12:28 PM:
I have to echo lemurs' comment on the new currency design. I think the new design and the subtle use of color is far superior to the ones with the big oval portraits. Those were ugly.
This time the new $20 bills don't have any ovals where Andrew Jackson is. Makes for a nicer design.
I still like the classic designs that the big oval portrait bills replaced.
I do echo the thought that in time all of our currency should be standardized on this latest design from $1 to $100 bills. I don't think denominations higher than $100 are in print.
I think the last time the $2 bill was redesigned was in 1976.
Ryan, I think the major reason to keep all of our bills the same size is so that they can be used in vending machines such as they have at the post office. With the launch of the new bill design, the postal service has had to reprogram all of their stamp machines that accept bills.
Posted by helen on October 12, 2003 9:25 PM:
Just had a commerical on ABC about the new $20 bill.
Posted by money on January 19, 2004 1:00 AM:
Nice!