Fed Unveils New $100 Bill
After a more than two-year delay, the Federal Reserve will finally issue newly-designed hundred-dollar bills beginning Oct. 8, according to an announcement made yesterday. The new C-notes include a variety of security features that make them harder to replicate—think of them as high-tech Benjamins. So what’s taken so long?
You may recall the unveiling of the Series 2009 $100 bill design back in 2010 along with a scheduled issue date of Feb. 11, 2011. But by the end of 2010 production was shut down on the newly-designed bills after it was discovered as many as 30 percent were flawed. Apparently a vertical crease in the paper left a blank spot on the bill. So the Fed replaced it with Series 2006A, the same $100 note Americans have been accustomed to since 1996.
Now that the quirks have been worked out in the new design’s production, all systems are a go, and counterfeiters ought to be aware. The new Benjamin includes some pretty tricky security features, including:
- A blue hologram-like 3D security ribbon that is woven into the paper and includes bell icons that change to 100s when the bill is moved.
- An inkwell superimposed inside of a bell that change color from copper to green when the bill is moved.
- A small, faint watermark of Ben Franklin to the right of his portrait that can only be detected if the bill is held up to light.
- A security thread located to the left of Ben Franklin’s portrait and imprinted with tiny USAs and 100s that can only be detected under a UV light.
- The numeral 100 in the bottom right-hand corner of the front side of the bill that changes color from copper to green when moved.
- Microprint that is unlikely to be duplicated, including “The United States of America” on Ben’s collar, “USA 100” around the portrait watermark and “One hundred USA” beside a golden quill.
- Raised printing all over the bill, including on Franklin’s jacket, which is even harder to duplicate.
