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The World’s Most Colorful Currencies, Part 2

jasonogrady — Tue, 25 May 2010 18:18:15 +0000

A fantastic blog post from COLOURlovers on color currency from around the world.

In a blog post long, long ago we scoured through what was then the 119 circulating currencies of the 192 UN member states to find some of the world’s most colorful currencies. And we found a few, but the comment section was filled with bank notes that were not taken note of. So, with the suggestions of our members and a bit more scouring here are some more colorful bank notes in part two of The Color of Money From Around the World or The World’s Most Colorful Currencies. And don’t forget to check out part one, The Color of Money from Around the World, and the site Ron Wise’s Banknoteworld who seems to have a complete collection of world currencies scans.

Faeroese króna

Palettes by isotope.151

Türk lirası

Spanish pesetas

South African rand

Romanian leu

Polish złoty

New Zealand dollar

Mexican peso

Lithuanian litas

Jamaican dollar

Croatian kuna

Costa Rican colón

Canadian dollar

Bulgarian lev

Bahamian dollar

Azerbaijan manat

Australian dollar

Argentinean peso

100USD Bill Now In 3D!

The Series 2009 $100 bill design was unveiled on April 21, 2010 and will be issued to the public on February 10, 2011. The new Hundred has received design changes similar to the current $5, $10, $20 and $50 bills. The new bill features an enlarged portrait, color-changing ink, and a unique teal background color. A depiction of a quill has been added to the front along with faint phrases of the Declaration of Independence. New security features include a three-dimensional security ribbon and a color changing “Bell in the Inkwell”. The security thread, portrait watermark, and microprinting security features were retained from the previous design. The reverse of the new bill depicts the rear of Independence Hall, as opposed to main front entrance which was shown on the reverse of the previous series. Also new to note is a uniquely colored, large, numerical inscription found on the right side of the reverse, of the note’s amount oriented in a fashion that is perpendicular to the rest of the prominent writing. The 2009 redesign marks the first time the signatures of the Treasury department executives are placed on one side, and that the signature of the Treasury Secretary is above that of the United States Treasurer. - wiki

Source: COLOURlovers

The Color of Money from Around the World

jasonogrady — Tue, 25 May 2010 18:05:16 +0000

A fantastic blog post from COLOURlovers on color currency from around the world.

In honor of this month’s release of the United States’ redesigned five dollar bill I have been scouring through the 191 currently circulating currencies of the 192 member states of the United Nations to find some of the most colorful, unique and dramatic bank notes.

The New Five

Photo from moneycenteral.msn.com

The redesigned $5 bill was unveiled on September 20, 2007, and was issued on March 13, 2008. Previously covered here on COLOURlovers, the redesign involves some very noticeable changes, mostly for security reasons, but also in an attempt to make the bill more friendly to the visually impaired.

The new five incorporates the use of micro printing of type to make it more difficult to copy. On the front, “FIVE DOLLARS” is written inside the left and right borders. “E PLURIBUS UNUM” is printed at the top of the shield. “USA” is between the columns of the shield and “USA FIVE” is printed on the edge of the most noticeable change, the giant purple “5″.

Photo from moneycenteral.msn.com

The giant purple “5″. Yes, well, it was added to help those who are visually impaired but it may just leave more of us wishing that we were. Not that I necessarily dislike it, mostly I’m not too concerned with what the money looks like since I’m not collecting it for its aesthetic qualities, but a more reasonable choice, or at least a more colorful choice, would have been just to make the whole thing purple and start color coding all of the bills, much like many, if not most, other countries do. Maybe the Government doesn’t want to get too far away from our ‘greenback’.

One Interesting thing about the new five is the use of the EURion constellation which many photocopiers will refuse to copy. This pattern, which is used for the series of little yellow “05″s, is used on many other currencies as well.

Other changes to the bill include the increased use of water marks and an added security strip like those already used for higher denominations.

The Most Colorful Currencies

Compared to those previous drab gray and green bills the US has made some colorful changes to the currency, but it is still nothing compared to the beautifully crafted and colored currencies of Venezuela, Switzerland, and Kyrgyzstan.

The Bolívar Fuerte

Bolívar Fuerte

The Bolívar Fuerte is the new currency of Venezuela since January 1, 2008. It replaced the old Bolívar which was the currency between 1879 and 2007. My personal favorite currency, it is a great example of the amazing bright and colorful notes that are seen throughout many South America countries.

The Bolívar Fuerte includes illustrations of Francisco de Miranda, Pedro Camejo, Cacique Guaicaipuro, Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi, Simón Rodríguez and Simón Bolívar, on the fronts. On the backsides, the notes feature Amazon river dolphins, a giant armadillo, an American Harpy eagle, the hawks bill turtle, a spectacled bear and the red siskin.

The Swiss Franc

Swiss Franc

The Swiss Franc is the legal currency of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The current eighth series of banknotes was designed by Jörg Zintzmeyer around the theme of the arts and was released in 1995. All the banknotes are quadrilingual and display information in each of the four national languages. The notes feature Le Corbusier, Arthur Honegger, Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Alberto Giacometti, Charles Ferdinand Ramuz and Jacob Burckhardt.

In February 2005, Switzerland held and open competition for the design of the 9th series, planned to be released around 2010. The results were announced in November 2005, but the selected design drew widespread criticisms from the population.

The Kyrgyzstani Som

Kyrgyzstani Som

The Som is the currency of the Kyrgyz Republic in Central Asia. The som was introduced in May 10, 1993 and replaced the Soviet ruble. The notes include illustrations of musicians, dancers and scientists on the the fronts of its notes. The colors are very subtle but they create beautiful compositions. What I find most amazing about these notes is the incredibly intricate and unique patterns in the center of each bill.

More Colorful Currencies

Ghana Cedi

Brazil Real

Euro

Rwandan Franc

Chinese Yuan

Nigerian Naira

Colombian Peso

Indian Rupee

Serbian Dinar

Estonian Kroon

Taiwan Dollar

Turkish lira

Ukrainian Hryvnia

Vietnamese Dong

Bermudian Dollar

South Korean Won

Chilean Peso

Images complied from Wikipedia.

Source: COLOURlovers

Who was Hayim Solomon?

jasonogrady — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:45:16 +0000

The following email started making the rounds in November 2008. It is categorized by rumor-busting Snopes.com as “undetermined” and was submitted by ACNS member Joe Gurrier.

The gist of the story is that the rear of the circulating $1 Federal Reserve Note features an arrangement of 13 stars in the form of a Star of David in the right-hand circle above the eagle.

According to the circulating email “this was ordered by George Washington who, when he asked Hayim Solomon, a wealthy Philadelphia Jew, what he would like as a personal reward for his services to the Continental Army, Solomon said he wanted nothing for himself but that he would like something for his people. The Star of David was the result.”

The full email follows…

SUBJECT: Who was Hayim Solomon?

On the rear of the One Dollar bill, you will see two circles. Together, they comprise the Great Seal of the United States .

The First Continental Congress requested that Benjamin Franklin and a group of men come up with a Seal. It took them four years to accomplish this task and another two years to get it approved.

If you look at the left-hand circle, you will see a Pyramid.

Notice the face is lighted, and the western side is dark. This country was just beginning. We had not begun to explore the west or decided what we could do for Western Civilization. The Pyramid is uncapped, again signifying that we were not even close to being finished. Inside the capstone you have the all-seeing eye, an ancient symbol for divinity. It was Franklin ‘s belief that one man couldn’t do it alone, but a group of men, with the help of God, could do anything.

‘IN GOD WE TRUST’ is on this currency.

The Latin above the pyramid, ANNUIT COEPTIS, means, ‘God has favored our undertaking.’ The Latin below the pyramid, NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM, means, ‘a new order has begun.’ At the base of the pyramid is the Roman Numeral for 1776. (MDCCLXXVI)

If you look at the right-hand circle, and check it carefully, you will learn that it is on every National Cemetery in the United States It is also on the Parade of Flags Walkway at the Bushnell, Florida National Cemetery, and is the centerpiece of most hero’s monuments. Slightly modified, it is the seal of the President of the United States , and it is always visible whenever he speaks, yet very few people know what the symbols mean.

The Bald Eagle was selected as a symbol for victory for two reasons: First, he is not afraid of a storm; he is strong, and he is smart enough to soar above it. Secondly, he wears no material crown. We had just broken from the King of England Also, notice the shield is unsupported. This country can now stand on its own. At the top of that shield you have a white bar signifying congress, a unifying factor. We were coming together as one nation. In the Eagle’s beak you will read, ‘E PLURIBUS UNUM’ meaning,’one from many.’

Above the Eagle, you have the thirteen stars, representing the thirteen original colonies, and any clouds of misunderstanding rolling away. Again, we were coming together as one.

Notice what the Eagle holds in his talons. He holds an olive branch and arrows. This country wants peace, but we will never be afraid to fight to preserve peace. The Eagle always wants to face the olive branch, but in time of war, his gaze turns toward the arrows.

They say that the number 13 is an unlucky number.
This is almost a worldwide belief. You will usually never see a room numbered 13, or any hotels or motels with a 13th floor. But think about this:

13 original colonies,
13 signers of the Declaration of Independence,
13 stripes on our flag,
13 steps on the Pyramid,
13 letters in, ‘Annuit Coeptis,’
13 letters in ‘E Pluribus Unum,’
13 stars above the Eagle,
13 bars on that shield,
13 leaves on the olive branch,
13 fruits,and if you look closely,
13 arrows.

And finally, if you notice the arrangement of the 13 stars in the right-hand circle you will see that they arearrangedas a Star of David. This was ordered by George Washington who, when he asked Hayim Solomon, a wealthy Philadelphia Jew, what he would like as a personal reward for his services to the Continental Army, Solomon said he wanted nothing for himself but that he would like something for his people. The Star of David was the result. Few people know that it was Solomon who saved the Army through his financial contributions but died a pauper.

I always ask people, ‘Why don’t you know this?’ Your children don’t know this, and their history teachers don’t know this. Too many veterans have given up too much to ever let the meaning fade. Many veterans remember coming home to an America that didn’t care. Too many veterans never came home at all.

Snopes: Undetermined

Tip: Joe Guerrier

Counterfeit FRNs floating around southern NJ

jasonogrady — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:14:25 +0000

Following are pictures of a counterfeit $10 Federal Reserve Note that I received in change from the Almo Pools on Fire Road in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. I didn’t notice it until the next day, but confirmed that it was fake because it lacked the printed nylon thread that’s embedded in new FRN’s and also lacked the ghost portrait of Alexander Hamilton that appears on the right edge of the bill when held up to a light. Almo pools promptly took it back for a legit $10 FRN – although the nusimatic geek in me was tempted to keep it

Click to see larger versions.

$5 bill “Good for one gallon of gas?”

admin — Wed, 07 May 2008 19:40:24 +0000

I sure hope not…