U.S. Treasury Unveils Redesigned $50 Bill

The $50 bill is the second denomination in the Series 2004 currency that has been redesigned, and it is scheduled for release this fall. The new $20 bill was released in October 2003, and plans for a new $100 bill are in development. (Decisions about new designs for the $5 and $10 notes are still under consideration; however, the U.S. Treasury is not planning a redesign of the $1 and $2 notes.)

In addition to the traditional green and black inks, the new $50 bill will include touches of purple and gold and a distinctive red and blue American flag design behind a larger portrait of Ulysses S. Grant. Some of the other security features include:

• a watermark-This faint image is similar to Grant's portrait.
• a security thread-The words "USA 50" and a small flag, which glow yellow when held under an ultraviolet light, are visible from both sides of the note.
• color-shifting ink-The number "50," which is located in the lower-right corner on the face of the bill, changes from copper to green.
• microprinting-This special feature appears in three areas on the face of the note.

The confidence in American currency is made possible through continuous improvements in currency design and aggressive law enforcement, both of which protect U.S. currency against counterfeiting.

For more information on the new $50 bill, visit the Bank's web site at www.stlouisfed.org/news or the Bureau of Engraving and Printing's new currency web site, http://www.newmoney.gov.