Banking

A redesigned $100 note will debut on April 21, 2010, at a ceremony hosted at the U.S. Treasury Department, according to the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The government redesigns the currency every seven to ten years in an effort to thwart counterfeiting.

New designs help prevent counterfeiting
The government is constantly evaluating the range of counterfeit threats from digital technology and traditional printing presses. This information helps guide decisions about the redesign for each denomination.

The last redesigned bill to debut was the $5 note in March 2008. While the new design for the $100 bill is still under wraps, the redesigned $5, $10, $20, and $50 notes included security features such as watermarks, the addition of color, and color-shifting ink.

Education, training form first line of defense
The $100 bill is widely used around the world and is the highest-value bill in circulation. The unveiling of the $100 note is the first stage of a multi-government agency public education program involving the U.S. Treasury Department, the Federal Reserve, and the U.S. Secret Service.

Public education is an important component of the government's redesigned currency program because an informed public is an important line of defense against counterfeiting. Free training and other educational tools will be available in 25 languages at www.newmoney.gov starting at 10:30 a.m. ET on April 21.

March 26, 2010