Safer? Smarter? More Secure? Not really... (warning, graphics intensive)

[Ediacara]

Today the US Treasury released newly redesigned $20 notes. These notes will be the first US notes to have background colors, as well as some new security features. Images of the new notes are here:



The treasury is billing these notes as "Smarter. Safer. More Secure." But are they? Not really.

Don't get me wrong, there are some good things about the new notes, most noticebily the color-changing ink aparently actually has a noticeble color change. The ink from the 1996 series changed from a dark green to a dark brown if you had very bright light (although according the the Treasury it's a bright green to black, but that's just not true...). Aparently the new ink changes from bright green to goldenrod, and if it ACTUALLY does this, it's a huge improvement.

Additionally, the background colors are an aesthetic, as well as security improvement. Color copiers and scanners don't do well reproducing subtle shifts in color that can only be produced by sophisticated printing presses.

But, do those two things really make them smarter safer and more secure?

No.

Color shifting ink, although neat is something most people don't actively check, and it can be reproduced with the right technology. Additionally, most other countries have very extreme color differences, say from orange to blue (Canadian $20 example) or from green to purple.


Watermarks can be faked with wax or oil, and the subtle pastels of the new $20 note are not bright enough to really foil the most advanced scanners and copiers. Other features like microprinting or flourescing security threads are useless on a daily basis because cashiers don't use magnifying glasses or UV lights on every bill.

What the BEP should have done:

1) Bright colors that blend evenly printed from offset plates. Bright colors are hard to reproduce, and the raised offset printing is difficult to reproduce without and offset printer.


2) Holograms, as well as color shifting ink. Holograms are almost impossible to reproduce and are easily seen by casual users.


3) Metalic woven security threads. These look like metalic dashes on the front of the bill, but are woven into the paper and when held up to the light look like a solid shaded line. This can be taken even further and a color changing application can be added.


4) Low angle engraved text. This is really a pretty neat feature that further demonstartes a genuine note printed with an offset printer.


Maybe the 2015 note series will encorperate these features.... One can only hope.

[Jim Sagle]

1. Maybe it will be harder to counterfeit, but it will sure LOOK phony.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Probably not.

I'm positive they toned it down from more radical changes. I don't know why, but we have the dumbest currency on earth-- easily counterfeited, all the same size and color-- and we still have that stupid dollar bill.

And everyone seems to like it that way. Suggest a change and they all go berserk.

Go figure.

(I love the Australian bills with the transparent hologram. And I have Italian coins with Braille on them!)

[7th_Sephiroth]

3. its because the dollar

has allways on the international market seen as rather stable, and that heavily and suddenly overt changes might tarnish that image