19 of the Best Currency Designs From Around the World
Written by Jami Oetting |
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On Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury announced that Harriet Tubman, who led hundreds of slaves to freedom, will become the first woman and the first African-American to appear on the face of U.S. currency, taking the place of Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. The $10 bill was originally meant to be completely redesigned to feature a female in place of Alexander Hamilton, but the founding father's popularity has skyrocketed in the past year due to his revival on Broadway, and Hamiltonians rallied for the founder of the first central bank's image to remain on the banknote.
Instead of replacing Hamilton, the back of the $10 bill will be redesigned celebrate the centennial of woman’s suffrage and the 19th Amendment by featuring five leading women of the movement -- Lucretia Mott, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Alice Paul. New designs for the back of the $5 bill will feature Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, and Marian Anderson.
This is the most significant redesign to American currency since 1929, and it has not been without controversy. While most days people trade or give away money without much thought, the design of a country's currency and the people, icons, and images included can spark heated debates and intense conflicts.
We won't see the redesigned bills until 2020, and it could take until 2030 for us to actually see the new $5, $10, and $20 bills in circulation. So until then, let's consider some beautiful examples of currency design from around the world. Let's hope some of these inspire the future look of American money.