DATE=5/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232611
TITLE=U-S DOLLAR/BILL (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=HELENE PAPPER
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AMERICA'S MOST POPULAR NOTE - THE 20 DOLLAR BILL - IS
GETTING A NEW LOOK. BUT ESTHETICS ISN'T THE PURPOSE OF THE NEW
BILL . AS V O A'S CORRESPONDENT HELENE PAPPER REPORTS IT'S MAIN
GOALS IS TO PREVENT COUNTERFEITING AND HELP THE BLIND.
TEXT: FIRST IT WAS THE HUNDRED, THEN THE 50. NOW IT'S TIME FOR
THE 20 DOLLAR BILL TO GET A FACE LIFT. THIS SECOND MOST USED
CURRENCY AFTER THE ONE DOLLAR NOTE IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST
COUNTERFEITED BILLS.
THE NEW 20 DOLLAR BILL WILL HAVE SPECIFIC FEATURES AIMED AT
DISCOURAGING COUNTERFEITING. IT WILL BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE
ALREADY REDESIGNED 100 DOLLAR AND 50 DOLLAR BILLS WITH AN
ENLARGED OFF-CENTER PORTRAIT, CLEANER LINES AND MORE BLANK SPACE.
TREASURY SECRETARY ROBERT RUBIN SAYS THE NEW FEATURES ARE DESINED
TO STAY A STEP AHEAD OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOPHISTICATED
TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS COLOR PRINTERS OR COMPUTER SCANNERS. NEW
FEATURES INCLUDE A GREEN POLYMER THREAD RUNNING ACCROSS THE BILL
WITH USA 20 AND A FLAG BURNT INTO IT. MR. RUBIN SAYS THE NEW BILL
SHOULD PUT A HALT ON THE SMALL YET CONTINUING INCREASE OF
COUNTERFEITING :
/// RUBIN ACT ///
AND WHAT WE'RE HOPING IS THAT CONSUMERS, CASH HANDLERS,
RETAIL PEOPLE AND OTHERS WHEN THEY GET A 20 WILL TAKE A
QUICK LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF IT'S A REAL BILL OR NOT A
REAL BILL. BY DOING THAT WE THINK WE CAN MAKE THE 20
WHICH IS ALREADY ... THEY'RE ALL VERY SECURE... THE
PERCENTAGE OF COUNTERFEITING IS A VERY VERY SMALL
PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL BILLS. WE CAN MAKE IT EVEN MORE
SECURE IF WE PUT THE RIGHT FEATURES ON AND IF PEOPLE ARE
CAREFUL USING THEM.
/// END ACT ///
MR.RUBIN SAYS THE NEW FEATURES ARE ESPECIALLY CREATED FOR
IMMEDIATE COUNTERFEIT RECOGNITION.
EXTERNAL DIVISIONS MANAGER AT THE BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND
PRINTING, EDWARD SHEEHAN, SAYS THE FEATURE WHICH CAN HELP PEOPLE
IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZE A FALSE 20 DOLLAR BILL FROM A REAL ONE IS
THE COLOR SHIFTING INK. HE SAYS BY MOVING THE BILL, THE NUMBER 20
ON THE RIGHT LOWER CORNER SHOULD SWITCH THE COLOR FROM GREEN TO
BLACK -- IF NOT THE BILL IS PROABABLY FAKE.
BUT COUNTERFEIT PROTECTION IS NOT THE ONLY PURPOSE OF THIS NEW 20
DOLLAR BILL. MR.SHEEHAN SAYS IT WILL ALSO BE VERY USEFUL TO THE
NATION'S TWO-HUNDRED THOUSAND BLIND PEOPLE. THE NOTE WILL INCLUDE
AN INVISIBLE FEATURE OFFICIALS HOPE WILL LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT
OF INEXPENSIVE MONEY-READING MACHINES. SUCH MACHINES ALLREADY
EXIST BUT COST AN AVERAGE OF 400 DOLLARS EACH. THE NEW IMPROVED
FEATURE WILL NEED A MUCH SIMPLER MACHINE TO READ IT. AND
MR.SHEEHAN SAYS THIS NEW FEATURE IS SIMPLE ENOUGH FOR USE IN
GENERATIONS OF BILLS TO COME.
/// SHEEHAN ACT ///
THIS IS A SIMPLE FEATURE THAT CAN BE EASILY CARRIED OVER
INTO FUTURE GENERATIONS OF CURRENCY REGARDLESS OF
DESIGN.
/// END ACT ///
MR.SHEEHAN SAYS CREATING A NEW BILL IS COSTLY, WHICH IS WHY THE
TREASURY DEPARTMENT WANTS TO CREATE PAPER MONEY WITH FEATURES
DESIGNED TO STAY CURRENT.
/// SHEEHAN ACT ///
A NEW CURRENCY NOTE COSTS FIVE-POINT-TWO CENTS PER
NOTE WHEREAS THE OLDER STYLE CURRENCY COSTS THE
FEDERAL RESERVE ABOUT FOUR CENTS A NOTE. SO THERE IS
AN INCREASED COST WITH GOING TO THE NEW DESIGN
CURRENCY BUT IT HAS SECURITY DEVICES THAT HELP THWART
COUNTERFEITING WHICH MAKES THE EXTRA COST WORTHWHILE.
/// END ACT ///
THE NEW BILL WILL START CIRCUALTING IN SEPTEMBER. (SIGNED)
NEB/HP/PT
21-May-98 5:35 PM EDT (2135 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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