Today the U.S. government unveiled its new design for the $100 bill, commonly known as the "Benjamin" (yes, Ben Franklin is still on the front!).
The new design is supposed to deter counterfeiters, especially abroad. It includes new security features, including:
- A cool-looking 3D security ribbon (presumably hard or expensive for counterfeiters to duplicate)
- Bell in the inkwell
- Portrait watermark
- Tracking device that relays coordinates to the nearest CIA bureau (I'm kidding about that part)
My take: It looks great. Retains much of the "classic" feel of the older $100 bill design, while upgrading with these 21st century security features. I'm going to run to my local bank today and see if they have any of the new bills available yet. You can watch a video about the new $100, complete with National Treasure-style dramatic theme song, over at NewMoney.gov.
Photo Credit: U.S. Government
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