by Whitney Blair Wyckoff
The $5 bill just got a makeover.
This morning Federal Reserve branches began delivering newly designed $5 bills to commercial banks. The most noticeable alteration? The $5 bills have a light purple tinge surrounding the portrait of Abraham Lincoln.
But the changes weren’t only cosmetic. The design is supposed to be more difficult for counterfeiters to duplicate. It features two watermarks on either side of the portrait and a vertical security thread that glows blue under ultraviolet light.
"The redesigned $5 bill's enhanced security features help ensure we stay ahead of counterfeiters and protect your hard-earned money," said Fed official Michael Lambert.
Lambert spent the first new $5 bill at the President Lincoln’s Cottage gift shop in Washington, D.C., on a book of the former president’s speeches.
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Comments
Crap. Went to check my wallet for one of the new five spots, found only ones. Who wants to float a brother a loan?
Posted by: Mark | March 13, 2008 4:32 PM
I just heard horrible news. President George H.W. Bush's Carlyle Group is facing financial disaster after the value of Carlyle Fund shares has nose dived and cannot be saved. Please give anything you can to help this man out in his time of need. What will America do when this billionaire is just another ordinary billionaire after these horrible losses?
Posted by: susan whitehurst | March 13, 2008 5:18 PM
Hey, when do we get that new $3 bill with Reagan on it?
Posted by: TheLeninSisters | March 13, 2008 5:56 PM
I remember some clueless YAFFer or some such bright eyed conservative enthusiast, calling for the eviction of Alexander Hamilton from the ten spot, to be replaced with Ronny Raygun.
His main argument was, AH was a fine Treasury Secretary, but not a POTUS, like all the other bills carry.
?!?
Guess he didn't know who Benny Franklin was!
Posted by: C.Hussein.Morris | March 13, 2008 6:15 PM
"SAGGY BOTTOM NO BELT WEARING BROTHERS AND SISTERS SPEAK"
YO, YOYO YO! WE GOT A NEW DOLLAR DOLLAR DOLLAR BILL BABY.
TOO BAD IT'S NOT WORTH $5.00.
I WONDER WHAT OL ABE WOULD LOOK LIKE AS A "EURO" OR A "GALLON OF GAS"
YOYO, YO YO YO, FIVE DOLLARS IS FIVE DOLLARS BECAUSE IF YOU AIN'T GOT FIVE ON IT, YOU CAN'T AFFORD MILK, EGGS, WATER, JUICE, OR A BELT FOR MY SAGGY BOTTOM PANTS.
CAN WE NAME IT THE $5.00 EURO! NO. OKAY.
Posted by: Roger Morris | March 13, 2008 7:25 PM
Just as long as they leave the upper and bottom edges of the bill large enough to write "Who Is Ron Paul" or "Google: Fractional Reserve Banking" or "This note is not redeemable for gold" all over it :)
Posted by: DaveB | March 14, 2008 7:52 AM
It's amazing that it took this long to get UV into the 5 dollar bill, when is the one dollar bill going to get UV features?
Posted by: Jim Taylor | March 14, 2008 10:41 AM
Jim Taylor,
This is just a 'suppose', but they may have protected the most counterfeited first, that being the $20, $10, and $5 ? Maybe $1 aren't worth the risk anymore.
Posted by: C.Morris | March 14, 2008 2:10 PM