It’s a challenge for the government to stay ahead of counterfeiters as technology becomes more sophisticated and more dollars flow overseas. The government hopes the new $100 bills will make it harder for high-tech counterfeiters to knockoff. Jon Cameron with the Bureau of Engraving and Printing says there are several changes.
“Two new security features—the 3-D security ribbon, which, it’s a blue ribbon on the front of the note that actually is woven into the paper with images of the Liberty Bell and 100. And then we’ve enhanced the color-shifting ink with a feature called ‘the bell in the ink well.’ It’s a color-shifting bell inside a copper ink well that’s on the front of the note, and as you change the orientation of the note, it shifts from copper to green. It’s quite distinctive.”
The new bill retains three security features from the previous design.
“The portrait watermark—it’s to the right of the portrait, when you hold the note up to the light you’ll see Benjamin Franklin. We still have the embedded security feature, security thread, which runs to the left of the portrait and says USA 100. As I mentioned, the color-shifting ink, we still kept the numeral 100 and as you tilt the note, it shifts from copper to green. So these are all features that the public is familiar with, as well as the ‘feel’ of the note.”
The $100 bill is the highest denomination of all U.S. notes. The new bills go into circulation on February 10th, 2011.