Comments on: Redesigned $20

Redesigned $20

aladfar — Tue, 13 May 2003 12:36:26 -0800

US Treasury unveils new $20: A joyous day for numismatics! After a few months of delay, we can now carry a bit of color in our billfolds.

By: aladfar

aladfar — Tue, 13 May 2003 12:37:13 -0800

And in other news: Treasury Secretary John Snow parleyed the announcement into an endorsement of Bush's economic proposals.

By: trigfunctions

trigfunctions — Tue, 13 May 2003 12:44:00 -0800

Is it just me, or does Jackson look like a hunchback on the new 20?

By: fraying

fraying — Tue, 13 May 2003 12:44:04 -0800

I find it really interesting that the oval that traditionally has bordered the portrait is gone. That's one of the defining characteristics of US bills. Can't wait to see one in person.

By: ferociouskitty

ferociouskitty — Tue, 13 May 2003 12:52:21 -0800

My niece once colored all the bills in my wallet (okay, it was only $7) because she heard me saying I wish we had more colorful money. I think her designs were more attractive.

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Tue, 13 May 2003 12:54:41 -0800

It's pretty trippy. I heard if you lick the seal you totally get a dose. Is it just me, or does Jackson look like a hunchback on the new 20? Actually, it's ESPN baseball analyst Peter Gammons.

By: mnology

mnology — Tue, 13 May 2003 12:59:42 -0800

More info, higher resolution pictures available at The Money Factory.

By: Ufez Jones

Ufez Jones — Tue, 13 May 2003 12:59:49 -0800

What do we call them now in place of greenbacks? Peachbacks?

By: orange swan

orange swan — Tue, 13 May 2003 13:02:20 -0800

Coloured money rules, as Canada and the makers of Monoploy figured out many, many years ago.

By: silusGROK

silusGROK — Tue, 13 May 2003 13:06:50 -0800

I love the design. I wish it wasn't Andrew Jackson... but otherwise I love the design. The Treasury knows Americans, and knows that it'll take baby steps to make the big changes enthusiasts are jonesing for... and who knows, some day we may have actual colors, rather than just tints!

By: tomplus2

tomplus2 — Tue, 13 May 2003 13:18:37 -0800

how many versions of a bill can we carry in our pockets? What if this isn't a big hit? This is the 3rd variation that will be legal tender.

By: ROU_Xenophobe

ROU_Xenophobe — Tue, 13 May 2003 13:23:40 -0800

I wish it wasn't Andrew Jackson... It would be cool to start monkeying around with the faces on the bills, or at least with the designs on the back. It's not like you need to be President -- neither Hamilton nor Franklin were, at least in my timeline. And it would be nice to see MLK on a bill, or maybe Elvis.

By: Ufez Jones

Ufez Jones — Tue, 13 May 2003 13:25:30 -0800

This is the 3rd variation that will be legal tender. That's a good point. Is there a time when the original $20s are no longer legal tender? I know the fed is slowly cycling them out right now as they come in, but there are going to be soem stashed away. Wouldn't it be even easier to get away with a forged old $20 nowadays then it was years ago?

By: krtzmrk

krtzmrk — Tue, 13 May 2003 13:29:39 -0800

I joked this morning (before seeing the pictures) that the new color would probably be dark green. It looks like I wasn't too far off. Why are Americans such wusses when it comes to our money?

By: Bag Man

Bag Man — Tue, 13 May 2003 13:47:56 -0800

Why are Americans such wusses when it comes to our money? Frankly I think US currently looks more regal. While lots of color does add a coolness or neeto factor to cash, I want money (particularly money that is not backed by gold or silver) that looks it can be taken seriously. I have little experience with the Eruo, but the Canadian Dollar or the old Italian Lira don't look serious enough for me. I guess that makes me a wuss.

By: WolfDaddy

WolfDaddy — Tue, 13 May 2003 13:49:11 -0800

Thanks for the link with a clearer picture mnology. It enabled me to conclude that the wavy "TWENTY USA" is really, really gay. Also, Jackson's hair still looks blow-dried.

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Tue, 13 May 2003 14:24:03 -0800

I'm happy to see that the back still has the Easy-to-Forge corner. The interactive tour is cool.

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Tue, 13 May 2003 14:46:13 -0800

It's a slippery slope to making our money look like France's. France, do you hear me people? Before you know it, we'll have casual nudity as well.

By: alumshubby

alumshubby — Tue, 13 May 2003 17:33:12 -0800

I wonder how much longer before the US Treasury just gives up and declares paper currency and metal coins illegal as we move to all-electronic transactions. Meanwhile, I'm told, there's an underground economy of sorts in frequent-flyer miles.

By: Hildago

Hildago — Tue, 13 May 2003 19:19:31 -0800

Frankly I think US currently looks more regal. While lots of color does add a coolness or neeto factor to cash, I want money (particularly money that is not backed by gold or silver) that looks it can be taken seriously. In addition to being more difficult to counterfeit, different-colored money is also easier to tell apart in your wallet. That's what I'll be looking forward to, anyway. And remember that the old color and design were once ridiculed too.. I suspect in a few years fewer people will question the regality of the new designs. Not that I think it's a particularly brilliant design, I'm just saying..

By: kaibutsu

kaibutsu — Tue, 13 May 2003 19:48:10 -0800

Also, Jackson's hair still looks blow-dried. Wouldn't you want perky, stylized hair after a long hard day of needlessly slaughtering Indians?

By: Hildago

Hildago — Tue, 13 May 2003 22:18:58 -0800

To be fair, he did shoot a lot of white people too.

By: piper28

piper28 — Tue, 13 May 2003 22:49:00 -0800

At the next meeting of the Americans Against Monopoly Money we're ceding Washington DC to the canadians. They can take the lousy new design with them. Colored money is the first step on the dangerous path to them eventually getting rid of the dollar bill and completely replacing it with a coin. I blame the candians for this.

By: delmoi

delmoi — Tue, 13 May 2003 23:32:55 -0800

What's up with the lack of an image border? It looks like some kind of strange mushroom cloud. And what are the orange things? Fish? I really, really don't like this at all. I sware I'm gonna start caring around 50s or something. This is butt ugly The whole plan was to try to make it imposible for people to bleach 1s or 5s and turn them into 20s and up. I guess it'll work, but, ugh, it looks ugly. I understand the desire, but wouldn't, for example, little colored tabs have worked? Maybe printed the denomination in colored metallic ink in a small corner?

By: riviera

riviera — Wed, 14 May 2003 01:28:35 -0800

Frankly I think US currently looks more regal. 'Regal'? Where does that idea come from? If it were 'regal', it'd be gold sovereigns and sous and pieces of eight, and hand-written assignats the size of newspapers. US currency is bread-mould green, it's easy to forge, and it's a nightmare for those with visual impairments because there are no size cues for distinguishing values. In fact, it breaks all the rules of good currency design. soyjoy: the French have Euros now, which aren't particularly exciting to look at, but are easy to tell apart, both coins and notes. It's a pity: I saved one of the Petit Prince notes, and used to collect the post-war, pre-revaluation banknotes. The biggest loss with the introduction of the euro was probably the gorgeous Dutch 50 guilder notes.

By: Bag Man

Bag Man — Thu, 15 May 2003 12:26:09 -0800

different-colored money is also easier to tell apart in your wallet If you can't read numbers (expect for those with sight problems), perhaps you shouldn't be using money at all. I think your argument is well a stupid one. 'Regal'? Where does that idea come from? Just looks more official I guess. US money is just different, that's all. If the rest of the world does not what America to impose upon them, it's only fair that rest of the world should not impose upon me.

By: Bag Man

Bag Man — Fri, 16 May 2003 19:15:54 -0800

what America Should read: want America