Treasury Introduces New $100 Bill
U.S. Reserves Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Wednesday unveiled a new $100 bill that is equipped with two new security features.
The bill will go into circulation on Feb. 11, 2011.
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The Fed, along with the Reserves Department, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and the U.S. Secret Service, “continuously watch the counterfeiting threats” for each denomination and restore decisions are made based on those threats, Bernanke said.
“This job has become more complex in recent years as technology advances and U.S. dollar flows expand and increase,” he added.
The bill — the highest value of all U.S. notes — circulates widely around the world, with circulation in the past 25 years on the rise to $890 billion from $180 billion.
Because about two-thirds of all $100 notes circulate outside the U.S., Bernanke said the agencies must ensure people around the world are aware of the design change. Over the next several months, officials at the agencies will work to educate businesses and consumers about the design and give reasons for how to use its security features.
The 6.5 billion or so $100 notes in circulation now will wait legal tender, Bernanke said.
The security features include a blue 3-D Security Ribbon on the front of the note that contains metaphors of bells and 100s, which go and change from one to the other as you tilt the note, according to joint release from the agencies.
Another security feature is the “Bell in the Inkwell” image that changes color from copper to green when the note is tilted, an effect that makes it grow and expire within the inkwell.
“As with previous U.S. currency redesigns, this note incorporates the best technology available to ensure we’re staying yet to be of counterfeiters,” Geithner said.