The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 35, September 3, 2007, Article 16

BEP TO ADOPT NEW SECURITY THREAD FOR $100 NOTES

This week The Associated Press published a lengthy article on the
new security thread technology to be used by the Bureau of Engraving
and Printing on the next version of the U.S. $100 bill.

"After six decades in which the venerable greenback never changed
its look, the U.S. currency has undergone a slew of makeovers.
The most amazing is yet to come.

"A new security thread has been approved for the $100 bill, The
Associated Press has learned, and the change will cause double-takes.

"The operation of the new security thread looks like something
straight out of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
This magic, however, relies on innovations produced from
decades of development.

"It combines micro-printing with tiny lenses - 650,000 for a
single $100 bill. The lenses magnify the micro-printing in a
truly remarkable way.

"Move the bill side to side and the image appears to move up
and down. Move the bill up and down and the image appears to
move from side to side.

"'It is a really complex optical structure on a microscopic
scale. It makes for a very compelling high security device,'
said Douglas Crane, a vice president at Crane & Co. The Dalton,
Mass-based company has a $46 million contract to produce
the new security threads.

"Holograms, used extensively on credit cards, were considered
for the $100. They were rejected because they did not offer
the strong visual signal the government wanted.

"The new security thread is used on the Swedish 1,000 kroner
note and has been selected by the government of Mexico for
some higher denomination notes.

"In addition to redesigning the money, the bureau is putting
in new printing presses with more capabilities to handle the
increasingly sophisticated security features.

"The new presses can vary the size of the bills being printed.
That is something the American Council for the Blind is urging
the government to consider as a way of helping the visually
impaired distinguish between different denominations of currency.

"Felix says no decision has been made on such a change. The
government is appealing a federal court ruling that could
force such a redesign."

To read the complete article, see:
Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization 
promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.

To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor 
at this address: whomren@coinlibrary.com

To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum