The American dollar still remains the main foreign currency, and after the shutdown of foreign payment systems in Russia, cash has again become relevant.
For example, travelers often exchange rubles for dollars and take cash with them abroad, which they then exchange for local money.
But dollars are different. The US Bank has been constantly changing its design, so it is important to be able to distinguish different types of dollars, because this may even maintain the exchange rate. Now let’s see how to do this.
Briefly:
What types of dollars are there?
When did the dollar design change?
What is the difference between new dollars and old ones?
Why the design of dollars is changing
When will the new dollar design be released?
Is it possible to use old dollars?
Brief summary
What kind of dollars are there?
All current dollars
Currently, the leaders include dollars in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100.
Until 1945, bills of $500, $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 were also printed. They began to be withdrawn from circulation in 1969, but are still legal tender.
However, you are unlikely to earn such dollars, because now they have a high value among collectors. They are ready to overpay thousands of dollars for rare banknotes, so it is almost impossible to meet them in free mode. For example, A $10,000 bill in perfect condition can be worth $140,000.
The rarest dollars
The largest banknote printed in the United States was $100,000 Gold Certificate. Such bills were issued from December 18, 1934 to January 9, 1935 and only under the same number of gold bullion were on duty at the US Treasury.
They were never distributed among the external circumstances used for internal transactions at the US Federal Reserve Bank.
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When did the dollar design change?
The design of the $50 bill has been changed twice since 1914: in 1997 and 2004.
The design of dollars began to actively change from the 90s to 2013. At this time, new buyers arose in the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing:
▶︎ 1996 → 100 US dollars
▶︎ 2003 → 50$
▶︎ 2006 → $10
▶︎ 2008 → 5$
▶︎ 2013 → 100$
The $1 and $2 bills have remained the same for almost 50 years, so when it comes to dollar differences, they are not noticeable.
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What is the difference between new dollars and old ones?
In short, with each redesign, the bills became lighter, sometimes the contrast changed, and the portraits on them became larger and clearer. In addition, the new banknotes have more security elements.
For example, the 2013 $100 bill added a blue 3D stripe in the center. The pattern on it changes depending on the tilt of the bill.
The $5 bill has the most obvious visual differences. The 2008 version is much lighter than the 1914 and 1993 versions.
The $5 bill also has good security. First, Lincoln’s portrait was printed using a relief print, so it was sent out in the morning. Secondly, to the right of the portrait there is an invisible security thread that is visible under bright light, but under ultraviolet it turns blue.
Other banknotes have similar watermarks to help verify historicity. All differences are listed on the website of the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
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Why the design of dollars is changing
Example of relief printing
The main goal of any redesign is security. The US Treasury, the Federal Reserve and the US Secret Service are developing new methods for identifying buyers to protect them from counterfeits. Designing and printing a new banknote can take more than 10 years.
Producing these elements into U.S. currency requires more than a decade of research and development, followed by years of optimization and implementation into the banknote. Once security elements have been selected and successfully integrated into the design, new equipment and raw materials can also be mentioned. New equipment or raw materials require a comprehensive procurement process as well as extensive acceptance testing to ensure stringent standards and quality are met for high volume production.
US Bureau of Engraving and Printing
The design of a new banknote is usually published 6-8 months before issue.so that as many people as possible can talk about it. US authorities never publish banknote concepts to reduce the risk of illegal printing.
Banknotes before 1990 did not have the usual security features such as watermarks or security threads. The only security element in banknotes of this type is the raised print.
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When will the new dollar design be released?
The US Bureau of Engraving and Printing has already published a schedule for the release of new banknotes:
▶︎ 2026 → 10$
▶︎ 2028 → 50$
▶︎ 2030 → 20$
▶︎ 2032 → 5$
▶︎ 2034 → 100 US dollars
All these banknotes have been developed since 2011, and after their release, work begins on new versions.
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Is it possible to use old dollars?
Yes. All dollars printed in 1914 are legal money, even if they are no longer in production.
However, in practice, problems may arise when exchanging them. For example, in some countries, dollars create a more favorable exchange rate than old ones. But there are also cases when old dollars are not accepted at all, both for exchange and for payment. In Russia there is none of this.
Most often problems arise when purchasing for $100.because tourists usually bring these with them and exchange them for local currency. As a rule, the most problems are with buyers of the 1990-1996 design, with banknotes from 1996-2013 things are better, and with buyers in the latest design (2013) there are no problems at all.
Before traveling, it is better to check on forums or chats for information on how to secure old dollars in the country in which you are going. If possible, better change your money to new dollarsso that there are fewer problems on vacation.
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Brief summary
Dollar designs are regularly changed to protect the currency from counterfeiters. In addition to the updated appearance, mechanical and new safety mechanisms that cannot be used in accessibility conditions.
All 1914 dollars are of equal value and can be used as payment, regardless of design.
But when exchanging abroad, problems may arise with banknotes of this type, so it is better to purchase new dollars before your trip.
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Source: Iphones RU
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
