U.S. government officials today unveiled a new $20 note design with enhanced security features and subtle background colors. The new design is part of an ongoing effort to stay ahead of the counterfeiting of U.S. currency.
Security Features
The new $20 design retains three important security features that were first introduced in the late 1990s and are easy for consumers and merchants alike to check:
- The watermark — the faint image similar to the large portrait, which is part of the paper itself and is visible from both sides when held up to the light.
- The security thread — also visible from both sides when held up to the light, this vertical strip of plastic is embedded in the paper. “USA TWENTY” and a small flag are visible along the thread.
- The color-shifting ink — the numeral “20” in the lower-right corner on the face of the note changes from copper to green when the note is tilted. The color shift is more dramatic and easier to see on the new-design notes.
I wish they <i>would</i> just overhaul all the notes and make them different colors like Canadian money. It seems like it’d be easier to sort out in my pocket or someone’s wallet. You could just peek in your wallet and go, “Ah, I need a blue one” instead of having to look at the face of each bill. If I ran the world…
Well, you know… you’d know what color the denomination you needed was… ^_^
I wish they <i>would</i> just overhaul all the notes and make them different colors like Canadian money. It seems like it’d be easier to sort out in my pocket or someone’s wallet. You could just peek in your wallet and go, “Ah, I need a blue one” instead of having to look at the face of each bill. If I ran the world…
Well, you know… you’d know what color the denomination you needed was… ^_^
a blue one? lol
a blue one? lol