Sure, it’s true that I’m often perhaps too willing to disregard tradition and take things in a brand new direction without adequate regard for the past, but I for one am ready for a radical redesign of American currency.
I’m not extremely well-traveled, but I have been to Canada, Australia, and several countries in Europe — pre-Euro. So I’ve seen a reasonable assortment of international currency and ours is by far the stodgiest, most old-fashioned, and frankly, boring-as-hell. So much more could be done with our currency, in terms not only of creativity but of incorporating new high-tech means (or some not-so-new, since Australia’s been integrating clear plastic in its currency since at least when I visited there in 1995) of confounding counterfeiters.
Alas, the redesigns we’ve seen in the past 15 years or so have been conservative, timid, and way too reluctant to break with the past. But Richard Smith’s Dollar ReDe$ign Project hopes to change that… or at least to allow us to fantasize about a world where American currency is cool-looking.
I agree with Ministry of Type that the following designs, by Michael Tyznik, are among the best, and they’re something that I could actually see some country using on its currency. Too bad it probably won’t be ours. (Not that American presidents and landmarks would make sense on another country’s bills, but you get my point.)
Upon closer examination, I also like how the designer has eliminated the $1 bill, replaced it with a $200 denomination, and bumped each president (or statesman) up a notch (Washington on the $5, Lincoln on the $10, etc.)… with the exception of Benjamin Franklin, who, in deference to P. Diddy, must remain associated with the $100 bill.
Grant leapfrogs from the $50 to the $200. Wait… he’s on the $50 now, right? I don’t see a lot of currency these days, and rarely anything larger than what’s dispensed by an ATM. Oh, and I see Hamilton has been replaced by Jefferson for the new $20. A debatable decision, but at least it’s not Aaron Burr.
There’s also a nice civics lesson, in the form of the Bill of Rights, written on the backs of the notes.
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One response to “Dollar ReDe$ign Project”
I actually like this one too: http://richardsmith.posterous.com/life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-happiness-mic
The codes would have to be all on one side of course… this would be a banker’s nightmare, otherwise!
I’ve traveled all around Europe and lived in Germany for years, and while I enjoy some the currency designs I’ve seen, there’s definitely something specifically solid about US currency that I’d hate to see go away. It could merely be the type of paper its printed on, but I do like it. I still haven’t gotten used to the Purple Lincoln.
One thing I wish we had here are more higher value coins. The dollar coin never seems to work for people, but I’d love to have 1,2, and 5 dollar coins.