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May, 2008 (3)
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 Wednesday, May 28, 2008
BEP delays on-sale date for Cleveland $2 product
Posted by David

The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing will not put the 2008 $2 Single Note for the Cleveland Federal Reserve district on sale June 2 as had been announced and reported.

An e-mail received from the BEP May 27 said: "Due to system maintenance the Bureau of Engraving and Printing will postpone the release of the 2008 $2 Single Cleveland Note. Please check our website www.moneyfactory.gov for the future availability of this product."

Claudia Dickens of BEP's external relations staff said that no new on-sale date for the Cleveland installment was immediately available.

Twelve 2008 $2 Single Note products are planned to be released in calendar year 2008, one from each of the 12 Federal Reserve districts, a limited of 10,000 placed on each installment. They have been going on sale roughly one district per month. Included in each package is one Series 2003A $2 Federal Reserve Note with a serial number beginning with numerals 2008. Price has been $7.95 apiece.

Dickens said that as of May 27 the BEP expects the Philadelphia installment, slated for a June 23 release, to go on sale as scheduled.

All four previous issues in this 2008 $2 Single Note series — Atlanta, New York, San Francisco and Dallas districts — have been selling out within days of going on sale.

What is the appeal of these packaged $2s over other BEP products? Is it the 10,000-piece limit for each district? An easy way to get uncirculated 2003A $2s from each district? The fact that it's a grouping that can be completed?


5/28/2008 10:06:30 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)  #  Comments [0]
 Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Court finds U.S. paper money discriminatory
Posted by David

You may have seen the news that a U.S. court decided May 20 that U.S. paper money is illegally discriminatory, "meaningful access" being denied to blind people.

Dave Harper presents his reaction in his blog Buzz.

What do you think, will U.S. paper money change on the basis of this decision?



5/21/2008 4:08:06 PM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)  #  Comments [0]
 Friday, May 09, 2008
Zimbabwe again ups top denomination
Posted by David

Beleagured Zimbabwe released new denominations of bearer checks May 6, already topping its April issue of ever higher denominations. Bearer checks are circulating as a form of currency in Zimbabwe where inflation has made some lower denominations nearly worthless.

These newest bank notes are denominated Z$250,000,000 and Z$100,000,000. A Chinese Web site has an image of a newspaper showing the new notes, which is the best look at the new issues that I've seen online so far.

These Z$250 million and Z$100 million notes appear to be the highest denominations issued anywhere. (If that's not so, I hope someone will advise with a comment.)

Yesterday I received an e-mail suggesting the United States revive its $500 note. Do we have need of a $500 bill now? Will we in three years? That's about the fastest I think such a note could be authorized, designed and issued.



5/9/2008 11:24:13 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)  #  Comments [2]
 Thursday, April 24, 2008
BEP seeks apprentice picture engraver
Posted by David

If you were kicking yourself at having missed your chance to apply a month or so ago for the bank note designer apprenticeship at the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing, here's a fresh opportunity for you to consider.

The BEP seeks an apprentice to work toward the role of picture engraver for bank notes.

This apprenticeship has a 10-year plan and includes study as well as engraving work. Skill at freehand drawing is expected, and mechanical drawing, as well as proficiency with digital design techniques. Some formal artistic background is expected such as a degree or certificate. A portfolio request in the position description designates areas to be evaluated.

The description of the position mentions what at least some of the work will be:

"The apprentice follows structured training schedules designed to build skills and experience in security engraving, generally progressing from simple ornamentation, working into larger landscapes, vignettes and portraits. Additionally, the apprentice will repair and restore vignettes and portrait dies, as well as inspection/repair of currency plates."

Good luck to any hobbyist who applies! If it's you, keep in touch with Bank Note Reporter.



4/24/2008 5:11:52 PM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)  #  Comments [0]
 Thursday, April 10, 2008
Loonie, toonie and ... $5 coin?
Posted by David

A study in Canada advises that the nation should replace its $5 bill with a $5 coin.

That's among other recommended changes, including eliminating the one-cent coin and creating a 20-cent coin.

Here's a link to a PDF file (286 KB) of the study report, which as of this writing can also be found at Desjardins Group's Web site, in the Newsroom section on the home page. While I am not particularly familiar with Desjardins, it appears to be a cooperative network of financial services providers. You can explore the group's mission and services here.

The new study on circulating currency is titled "100th anniversary of the Canadian penny: An opportunity to re-examine the usefulness of our coins and bank notes in circulation," dated April 9, 2008.

While I would expect reactions to the suggestions to be mixed, I've noticed one commentator in the Montreal Gazette who doesn't like the idea.


4/10/2008 8:26:41 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)  #  Comments [1]
 Saturday, April 05, 2008
Midwest Chapter of IBNS offers CPMX souvenir
Posted by David

IBNSchaptercardCPMX2008.JPGRegular attendees of the Chicago Paper Money Expo are likely familiar with the souvenir cards produced each year by the Midwest Chapter of the International Bank Note Society. They actually include a bank note in a clear plastic holder affixed to the card.

This year's card, thirteenth in the series, features a 20-rupee bank note from the Reserve Bank of India (Standard Catalog of World Paper Money No. P-89A) depicting Mohandas Gandhi, better known as Mahatma Gandhi. The year 2008 is 60 years since his death in 1948.

A total of 100 cards were produced, all numbered.

Cards are available through the mail for U.S. $8, shipping included. Some previous years' cards remain available at the same price.

For information about ordering, contact Brian Giese at e-mail address IBNSus@yahoo.com.



4/5/2008 11:23:13 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)  #  Comments [0]
 Friday, April 04, 2008
King for nearly three months
Posted by David

In January, the troubled nation of Zimbabwe issued a note denominated ten million Zimbabwean dollars. That note was the highest denomination ever issued by a government, anywhere.

I blogged about it in January — you can see that post and an image of the ZWD$10 million note here.

Now a report says that Zimbabwe has begun issuing notes denominated ZWD$25 million and ZWD$50 million as of today.

Another report shows images of a person holding new ZWD$50 million notes.

Technically the country calls these bearer checks, but they circulate like bank notes.

Sad as it is for Zimbabwe and its people, collectors of high-denomination paper money now have a new height to scale, not even three months since the ZWD$10 million note raised a new peak.



4/4/2008 9:47:14 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)  #  Comments [0]
 Thursday, April 03, 2008
Fox Business takes interest in bank notes
Posted by David

Scott Lindquist Numismatics doesn't often make a splash in the mass media. It's worth a look when it does get a moment in front of the cameras.

Scott Lindquist of Spink Smythe took some notes to Fox Business news a couple weeks ago, and I've just found the video archived on their site.

The segment host was seguing from the relative strength of the U.S. dollar to collecting paper money.

Kudos to Scott for making it happen.

And let me know if you find a serial No. 1 note in circulation!



4/3/2008 11:46:05 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)  #  Comments [0]
 Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Carnival time for C&C blogger
Posted by David

If you've found Digital Watermark, you've likely found several other numismatic blogs to enjoy.

Have you found them all?

Yesterday, blogger Nathan Bauman of Curator & Collector offered up his Numismatics Blog Carnival, No. 2, a select roundup of posts of the past month from many, many numismatic bloggers.

Take a look, see if you can add to your blogroll.


4/1/2008 4:22:25 PM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)  #  Comments [2]
 Monday, March 24, 2008
'D.B. Cooper' case makes news again
Posted by David

Many of us hadn't heard of "D.B. Cooper" before. He's the skyjacker who in 1971 held a plane for ransom and then jumped out with his cash, never heard from or seen again. (You can learn more about his story by clicking here.)

But a portion of his ransom was found by a youngster in the early 1980s. We learned last month that PCGS Currency is now slabbing that (slightly older) youngster's notes.

Normally that would be that. But now MSNBC.com and others are reporting that some new kids may have found part of the parachute "D.B. Cooper" used when he leaped from the plane.

A Seattle Post-Intelligencer online report says that FBI agents are seeking people with expert knowledge of "NB6 parachutes," which MSNBC.com expands to Navy Backpack 6 parachutes with 26-foot canopy.



3/24/2008 9:14:10 PM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)  #  Comments [0]
New $5 robotic? No - Special powers? Maybe
Posted by David

Blog850_86.jpg A promotional video capturing reactions of the public to the redesigned $5 bill can be seen at the government's redesigned money site, on the multimedia downloads page.

Click the image in this post to go directly to the video.

The colorized Series 2006 $5 Federal Reserve Note was released to circulation March 13. When you see one, let me know what you think at e-mail david.kranz@fwpubs.com.

First news of a new $5 in circulation came in over the weekend and was reported today in Dave Harper's blog Buzz.

I picked up a few of the new $5s at one of my local banks today. I'll take them along to the Chicago Paper Money Expo this coming weekend.

Next question is, anyone found a star note yet? 



3/24/2008 3:35:37 PM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)  #  Comments [0]
 Thursday, March 20, 2008
Look behind current paper money redesign
Posted by David

We can all look at the redesigned U.S. bank notes in circulation and see the colors and other changes, but some people want more — more information about the why's and the alternatives considered.

Well, take a look at the National Academies' 2007 National Research Council report titled A Path to the Next Generation of U.S. Banknotes: Keeping Them Real. It's got some of that information. The report title link takes you to a page where you can buy a hard copy or PDF of the report, but the report also available there to read free using their online function.

I've mentioned this report previously, but was reminded of it today by a recent post at the Curator & Collector blog, which linked to this National Academies story. Thanks C&C!



3/20/2008 10:30:27 AM (Central Daylight Time, UTC-05:00)  #  Comments [2]