Should The Redesigned $2 Bill Include New Security Features?

of course I'm not sure why they wouldn't be included if all other bills (except the $1) have the same security features.

jlgaudlitz95,

Yes, the traditional older designs look nice, but I don'y like the way the $1 and $2 bills now look way too different from the $5-$100 bills, so I'm hoping that the COINS Act will pass, whicg will end the production of circulation $1 bills, and the new redesigned $2 bills will fit in better with the family of new $5-$100 bills. I would hope that, since the COINS Act also calls for continued production of $1 bills to meet collector demand, that they would redesign the $1 bill along with all other (circulating) denominations, so that we collectors can collect new style $1 bills in the future.

ckrakowski,

You are right about the $1 bill. BUT, the $1 bill is the ONLY denomination that would take an act of Congress to redesign.

As for the $2 bill, there are NO laws in place, agaist redesigning the $2 bill. I don't know where people get this idea that there would need o be an act of Congress to redesign the $2 bill. Totally untrue. I have talked to a few people at the BEP on the phone and throygh emails and they have stated that, the the $2 bill WILL be redesigned along with the $5-$100 bills, due to the fact that a court ruling ordered the Treasury to redesign every denomination that it may "legally" change, and the only denomination that may NOT be legally changed, is the $1 bill. The $2 bill, however, WILL be redesigned with the next currency redesign, to incorperate features for the blind and visually impaired, such as large, embossed numbers, their own color scheme, raised tactile shapes and other such features to assist the visually impaired.

Here is what the BEP's "Meaningful Access" page says about the next currency redesign:

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Tactile Feature: Adding a raised tactile feature to U.S. currency unique to each U.S. Federal Reserve note that it may lawfully change1, which will provide users with a means of identifying each denomination via touch. BEP will consult with currency stakeholders at all stages of the process.
High Contrast Numerals: Continuing the program of adding large high contrast numerals and different colors to each denomination that it is permitted by law to alter. BEP will consult with currency stakeholders at all stages of the process.

1Currently, U.S. law prohibits any changes to the $1 Federal Reserve note.
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(Notice the numeral "1" by "change" in the upper paragrapg, and the line I put below the paragraph starting with the numeral "1" That is what that numeral "1" stands for (No changed allowed to the $1 bill)

And here are a couple emails I got from the BEP on the $2 bill redesign, which I already posted here before:

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ME:

Sent: Monday, February 06, 2012 9:50 AM
To: Riggs Carol
Subject:, on the redesign of the $2 Note

Hi Carol,

I just got off the phone with you. I spoke to someone at the Washington D.C. BEP facility, about the $2 note being redesigned, and the lady I talked to, said it would be. I m not sure if it was Darlene Anderson or not, but please tell Ellen to call me. Thank you.

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Tom,

I received confirmation that the $2 is included in the meaningful access redesign program. Thank you for your inquiry.

Carol Riggs

Manager, External Affairs Division (WCF)

Bureau of Engraving and Printing

9000 Blue Mound Road

Fort Worth, Texas 76131

817-847-3881 (direct)

817-847-3757 (fax)

www.moneyfactory.gov

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And here is another email on the $2 bill redesign:

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ME:

Hi Ellen,



I just had a quick question. We talked about the $2 note being redesigned for the Meaningful Access currency redesign. And you confirmed that the $2 note will be redesigned with the Meaningful Access Redesign, as did Carol Riggs and Darlene Anderson. On the front page of the BEP website, it says:



"With the introduction of redesigned currency, subtle background colors were added to the redesigned notes to make them more secure and difficult to counterfeit. The new design was applied to the $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 notes. Circulation of the new series began during the fall of 2003, with the introduction of the redesigned $20 note. It continued with the $50 note in 2004, the $10 note in 2006, and the $5 note in 2008. The new $100 note is currently in production with a release date to be announced as soon as possible. Redesign of the $1 and $2 notes is not planned."



Notice how the last sentence says: "Redesign of the $1 and $2 notes is not planned." So I was just wondering, is this talk of no plans to redesign the $2 note only for the "NexGen" series currency redesign? And is the $2 note still getting a redesign for the "Meaningful Access" redesign series? That paragraph from the BEP website I posted in this email made me curious as to whether the $2 note redesign idea was scrapped, and I hope it wasn't. I know that the Meaningful Access page on the BEP website says: "Tactile Feature: Adding a raised tactile feature to U.S. currency unique to each U.S. Federal Reserve note that it may lawfully change1," and I know that the $2 note can be lawfully changed, but currently, the $1 note can not be changed.

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The BEP:

Thank you for your inquiry. The reference to the $1 and $2 note not being redesigned is, in fact, referring to the current series of redesign, commonly called the "NexGen series". Inclusion of a raised tactile feature is planned for a future redesign of the $100, $50, $20, $10, $5 and $2 Federal Reserve notes. You are correct, BEP is not planning to add a tactile feature to the $1 note. A decision has not been made regarding the next denomination to be redesigned or when it will be issued. BEP is not waiting for this decision to be made, however. We are already exploring technologies and considering note designs. Significant testing will be required to ensure that the tactile feature solution can be smoothly accommodated into BEP's manufacturing process.

Ellen Gano

Public Affairs Specialist

Office of External Relations

Bureau of Engraving and Printing

202-874-1211
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So, theres rge proof that, as of now, the $2 bill WILL be getting a redesign. In fact, back when I called the BEP about the $2 bill redesign, I told one of the people I called that it should be redesigned for the Meaningful Access redesign, because the $1 and $2 bills are too similar in looks to the blind and visually inpaired, and the first words that came out of the person's moyth who I called was, "The $2 bill IS getting redesigned with the next currency redesign series. So I didn't even have to suggest it, because it is going to happen anyway.

lettow,

From what read, and rumor has that, the Series 2009 print run of $2 bills were only meant to last until 2014, which leads me to believe that, the BEP either has printed, or is planning on printing redesigned $2 bills for the "Series 2014 Meaningful Access" redesign. Think about it. The Treasury has stated, that the currency will be redesigned every 7-10 years ($20 bill in 2003-$100 bill in 2013 = 10 years) and I am guessing that, with all of the trouble the BEP had with printing the new Series 2009 $100 bills with the new security features, which was a very important denomination, and they would probably not want to make that same mistake again with the next series of currency redesigns, that, maybe even though they would be testing the properties of the features for the blind and visually impaired, and not securuty features, they'd probably want to test the features on a least important denomination, like the $2 bill, instead of say, the $20 bill or $100 bill, so that, if they botch the job, they won't take so big of a loss and it wouldn't be as big of a deal with the little used, low demand $2 bill if the idea fails or has problems. So maybe some time in 2014, we may see some redesigned $2 bills enter circulation, if I'm right. Currently, however, the news I am getting, is that 2014 might be a little early before we see the next redesigned denomination, but that could change if the demand for $2 bills is there. I doubt they would print more old style $2 bills to last after 2014, when they are planning a redesign. You would think the Treasury would want the old style $2 bill supply gone to make way for the new design.

Again, as I said, just my theory.