Since October 1, 1877, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) of the Department of Treasury has printed all U.S. banknotes. The current design of U.S. banknotes has not changed significantly since 1929. In 1990 the New Currency Design Task Force was formed by the Advanced Counterfeit Deterrence Steering Committee, an interagency group including representatives from the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, the BEP, and the Secret Service. This task force was charged with redesigning the banknotes to make them more difficult to counterfeit. The designs were to be presented to the Secretary of the Treasury for consideration. Initial concepts were announced by the BEP and the Department of Treasury in conjunction with hearings by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs on July 13, 1994 (BEP, 1994).
In 1992, the Department of the Treasury requested that the National Research Council, through its National Materials Advisory Board, analyze and recommend counterfeit-deterrence features that could be incorporated into a redesign of U.S. banknotes. Previous studies by the board had assessed counterfeit-deterrence features at times when a major redesign was not anticipated (NRC, 1985, 1987). The study whose major conclusions are summarized in Appendix B (NRC, 1993) focused on the identification of security features that could be used to deter counterfeiting by "casual" and "professional" counterfeiters making use of the enhanced capabilities of the new generation of color copiers and digital copiers and printers.
The BEP recognized that the occasion of a redesign of the U.S. banknotes presented an opportunity to reexamine the issue of making the banknotes more readily usable by people who are visually disabled, an issue it had studied previously (BEP, 1983) at a time when no general redesign was anticipated. The BEP requested that the National Materials Advisory Board extend its study of currency features to features that could assist visually disabled people to more easily handle paper money in a variety of cash transactions. The objectives of the current study were to:
Eight volunteers with expertise in advanced reprographic technology, materials science, substrate materials, currency production, psychophysics, optical engineering, chemical engineering, optics, and physics formed the Committee on Currency Features Usable by the Visually Impaired. Two members of the committee conduct research on topics related to visual disabilities and with visually disabled people; one member of the committee is visually impaired. The committee met four times between February and August 1994.
Invited presentations from experts in visual and tactile perception and from representatives of organizations of blind people and people who are visually impaired provided relevant data at a workshop. Information specific to the manufacture and usefulness of various features usable by visually disabled people for denominating banknotes was solicited from representatives of thirty-eight issuing authorities. Eighteen of these representatives responded with information on their experiences producing and using such features as size-denominated banknotes, color, large numerals, and tactile markings. Where appropriate, the information provided by these representatives is cited and is listed in the references as a "personal communication" to the committee.
The committee recognized that reliable denomination of banknotes is essential to maintaining independence for visually disabled individuals. Authentication of banknotes will certainly require features in addition to those added to the banknote for aiding denomination by visually disabled people.
In this report, the committee reviews and assesses possible banknote features for blind and visually disabled people. The scope of the task was limited to consideration of the use of U.S. paper money only, and the committee did not offer an evaluation of the entire circulating medium. Conclusions and recommendations are presented to assist the BEP and the U.S. Treasury Department in developing the design of the next-generation banknotes to ensure that U.S. banknotes are made conveniently usable by the broadest cross-section of the nation's population under a wide range of use conditions. Because of the confidential nature of banknote design and manufacture, the committee was unable to fully assess the costs of, and difficulties associated with, implementation of any of the features recommended and, thus, does not offer a full cost-benefit analysis or a detailed implementation strategy for any features. Due to the fact that some readers may not be familiar with many of the technical terms used, a glossary is provided at the end of the report for their convenience.
In considering the needs of the 3.7 million U.S. citizens with low vision, the committee observed that many documents issued by government agencies, such as passports, stamps, tax forms, and food stamps, could better serve those with low vision if features similar to those discussed in the report were incorporated in their design. Indeed, in some cases, features not considered sufficiently robust for application in banknote design might find early application in other government documents. Similarly, the public education campaign accompanying any introduction of banknote features for visually disabled people should encourage the private sector to include such considerations in packaging design and related applications.
The Executive Summary is reproduced in Appendix A in larger type (15-point) in accordance with guidelines set by the U.S. Postal Service to categorize reading material for legally blind people. A braille or a large-print version of the entire report may be obtained from the Lighthouse, Inc., which can be contacted at (212) 821-9200. Because the braille version of this report will not contain the figure graphics, the figure contents are described in detail in the text. This report may also be accessed via the National Academy of Sciences World Wide Web server at http:/.
Any comments or suggestions that readers wish to make about the report can be sent via Internet electronic mail to nmab@nas.edu or by fax to the National Materials Advisory Board at (202) 334-3718. Comments on the new banknote design may be addressed by calling the Office of Communications, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, at (202) 874-3019.
Norbert S. Baer, Chair, Committee on Currency Features Usable by the Visually Impaired
BEP (Bureau of Engraving and Printing). 1983. A Study of Mechanisms for theDenominationof U.S. Currency by the Blind or Visually Impaired. Bureau of Engraving andPrinting report to Congressman Edward R. Roybal, Chairman of the U.S. House ofRepresentatives Select Committee on Aging.
BEP (Bureau of Engraving and Printing). 1994. Bureau of Engraving and Printing presentation to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs, July 13, 1994.
NRC (National Research Council). 1985. Advanced Reprographic Systems: Counterfeiting Threat and Deterrent Measures. National Materials Advisory Board, NRC. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
NRC (National Research Council). 1987. Counterfeit Threats and Deterrent Measures. National Materials Advisory Board, NRC. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
NRC (National Research Council). 1993. Counterfeit Deterrent Features for the Next-Generation Currency Design. National Materials Advisory Board, NRC. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
NAS Home Page |
NAP Home Page |
Reading Room |
Report Home Page