WASHINGTON D.C. – The US Federal Reserve on Tuesday began supplying financial institutions with a redesigned $100 note that incorporates new security features to deter counterfeiters and help businesses and consumers tell whether a note is genuine. Distance, demand, and the policies of individual financial institutions will influence how quickly the redesigned notes reach businesses and consumers around the world. “The new design incorporates security features that make it easier to authenticate, but harder to replicate,” said Federal Reserve Board Governor Jerome H. Powell. “As the new note transitions into daily transactions, the user-friendly security features will allow the public to more easily verify its authenticity.” The Federal Reserve, US Department of the Treasury, US Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and the US Secret Service partner to redesign Federal Reserve notes to stay ahead of counterfeiting threats. Like the current greenish $100 bill, the new version will bear the likeness of Benjamin Franklin, a leader in the American Revolution more than two centuries ago. But it will also have a vertical blue security ribbon that shows “100” and small pictures of the iconic Liberty Bell in darker blue. Next to Franklin's portrait is a tan quill and bronze-color inkwell, with the Liberty Bell drawn inside. The bell's color changes depending on what angle the bill is held at. The new features, and additional features retained from the previous design, such as a watermark, offer the public a simple way to visually authenticate the redesigned $100 note. Consumers worldwide are advised that it is not necessary to trade in older-design $100 notes for new ones. It is US government policy that all designs of US currency remain legal tender, regardless of when they were issued. – SG
