Newsletter - Long Version Introducing...The New Color of Money Safer. Smarter. More Secure. When you see an unusual flash of color later this year on the $20 bills you receive at your neighborhood store or ATM, be advised - it is not "play money," and your eyes are probably not deceiving you. The U.S. government is rolling out new designs for our currency, beginning with the $20 note, which is expected to be issued in fall 2003. The Need for Redesigned Currency The Federal Reserve System and the Department of the Treasury are committed to protecting the integrity of U.S. currency - and your hard-earned money - against counterfeiting. While their efforts have been successful (current estimates of counterfeit notes in circulation worldwide are 1 to 2 in every 10,000 genuine notes), advances in technology are making digital counterfeiting easier and cheaper. In 1995, less than 1 percent of counterfeit notes detected in the U.S. were digitally produced, but by 2002, that number had grown to nearly 40 percent. To stay ahead of counterfeiters, enhancement of the designs of our money has become an ongoing process, with new designs to be introduced every 7-10 years. About the New Color of Money Last redesigned in 1998, the redesigned $20 note will be the first of this series to be issued, in late 2003. The new design will make it more burdensome for counterfeiters to produce phony bills and will be safer, smarter and more secure: * Safer because they're harder to fake and easier to check. * Smarter to stay ahead of tech-savvy counterfeiters. * More Secure to protect the integrity of U.S. currency. Older-design $20 notes will gradually be replaced by new-design notes, although both will continue to be legal currency at full face value. New designs for the $50 note will follow in 2004 and the $100 notes in 2005. A redesign of the $5 and $10 bills is still under consideration, but a redesign of the $2 and $1 notes is not planned. What's New - or Not The most noticeable difference in the notes is the subtle green, peach and blue colors featured in the background. The new $20 note will mark the first use of background color in U.S. currency since the 1905 series $20 Gold Certificate, which was tinted gold. Different colors will be used for different denominations, which will help everyone - particularly those who are visually impaired - to tell denominations apart. The redesign also features symbols of freedom - a large blue eagle in the background and a smaller metallic green eagle and shield to the right of the portrait. Also, small yellow 20s are printed on the back of the $20 note. Despite these changes, the world will still recognize the new U.S. currency as quintessentially American, as many of the traditional features will remain the same - the size, texture, predominant green color and slightly enhanced portraits and historical images. Security Features While color makes counterfeiting more difficult, it should not be used to check a bills' authenticity. Instead, consumers and merchants can look for three security features first introduced in the 1990s, which are difficult for counterfeiters to reproduce well: * Watermark: A faint image, similar to the portrait, which is part of the paper itself and is visible from both sides when held up to the light. * Security Thread: Also visible from both sides when held up to the light, this vertical strip of plastic is embedded in the paper and spells out the denomination in tiny print. * Color-Shifting Ink: The number in the lower right corner on the face of the note, indicating its denomination, dramatically changes color from copper to green when the note is tilted. Suspect a Counterfeit? If you receive a bill that you believe may be counterfeit or if you question a note that is already in your possession, turn it over to your local police or U.S. Secret Service office. If the note is genuine, it will be returned to you as soon as possible. If the note is counterfeit, you will not be reimbursed, but knowingly passing a counterfeit note is illegal. The Secret Service offers this advice to cash-handlers who are handed a suspect bill: * Keep the bill from the passer. * Delay the passer by some excuse, if possible, without putting yourself in danger. * Contact the police. * Observe the passer's description and that of any companion or vehicle used. * Handle the bill as little as possible, to preserve fingerprint evidence. * Write your initials and the date on an unprinted edge on the front of the bill, place it in an envelope, and surrender it only to the police or the U.S. Secret Service. Preparing for Change Trust and acceptance of the dollar domestically and internationally are vital to the security and stability of the world's monetary system. To ensure that people are aware of the new currency and to help them recognize and use the enhanced security features, the Federal Reserve System and the U.S. Treasury are undertaking a broad public education campaign. The U.S. government has been working with the cash-equipment industry so that ATM and vending machine manufacturers can make their equipment compatible with the new currency by the time it enters circulation. The government also is providing cash-handling industries with information and materials to train employees and educate customers about the new currency. An extensive public outreach campaign is also planned through the news media, Internet, and print and broadcast paid media. Our Role Businesses and associations across the country are joining forces with the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve System to help educate the public about the new currency designs and how to spot a counterfeit note. We are proud to be helping the U.S. government to increase awareness about the new currency in the _______________________ industry. For more information, visit the Treasury's Web site at www.moneyfactory.com/newmoney or call toll free 1-877-639-2877. ____________________________________________________________________________ Newsletter - Short Version Introducing...The New Color of Money Safer. Smarter. More Secure. Sample headers to emphasize organization's role in the campaign: * [Organization] Supports the U.S. Treasury to Raise Awareness About New $20 Bills * [Organization] Supports U.S. Treasury Kick-Off of Public Awareness Campaign About the New Color of Money When you see an unusual flash of color later this year on the $20 bills you receive at your neighborhood store or ATM, be advised - it is not "play money," and your eyes are probably not deceiving you. Advances in technology are making digital counterfeiting easier and cheaper and as a result, the U.S. government is rolling out new designs for our currency every 7-10 years, beginning with the $20 bill in fall 2003. New designs for the $50 note will follow in 2004 and the $100 notes in 2005. A redesign of the $5 and $10 bills is still under consideration, but a redesign of the $2 and $1 notes is not planned. The most noticeable difference in the notes is the subtle green, peach and blue colors featured in the background. Different colors will be used for different denominations, which will help everyone - particularly those who are visually impaired - to tell denominations apart. The redesign also features symbols of freedom - a large blue eagle in the background and a smaller metallic green eagle and shield to the right of the portrait. Also, small yellow 20s are printed on the back of the $20 note. While color makes counterfeiting more difficult, it should not be used to check a bills' authenticity. Instead, consumers and merchants can look for three security features that are difficult for counterfeiters to reproduce well: * Watermark: A faint image, similar to the portrait, which is part of the paper itself and is visible from both sides when held up to the light. * Security Thread: Also visible from both sides when held up to the light, this vertical strip of plastic is embedded in the paper and spells out the denomination in tiny print. * Color-Shifting Ink: The number in the lower right corner on the face of the note, indicating its denomination, dramatically changes color from copper to green when the note is tilted. Despite these changes, the new U.S. currency retains many of the traditional features, including the size, texture, predominant green color and slightly enhanced portraits and historical images. Older-design $20 notes will gradually be replaced by new-design notes, although both will continue to be legal currency at full face value. Businesses and associations across the country are joining forces with the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve Board to help educate the public about the new currency designs and how to spot a counterfeit note. For more information, visit the Treasury's Web site at www.moneyfactory.com/newmoney or call 1-877-639-2877.