U.S. Department of the Treasury posed a new challenge to fraudsters this week, unveiling the new design for the $100 note and incorporating some new technologies to combat counterfeiting.
The Treasury says that the $100 note is the most widely circulated and most often counterfeited denomination outside the U.S. “As with previous U.S. currency redesigns, this note incorporates the best technology available to ensure we’re staying ahead of counterfeiters,” said Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner.
New features in the redesigned $100 note include a 3-D Security Ribbon and a Bell in the Inkwell. These security features were designed to make it easy for consumers and merchants to authenticate the notes. 
The blue 3-D Security Ribbon on the front of the new $100 note contains images of bells and 100s that move and change from one to the other as the viewing angle of the note changes. The Bell in the Inkwell on the front of the note is another new security feature. The bell changes color from copper to green when the note is tilted, an effect that makes it seem to appear and disappear within the copper inkwell.
“The new security features announced today come after more than a decade of research and development to protect our currency from counterfeiting. To ensure a seamless introduction of the new $100 note into the financial system, we will conduct a global public education program to ensure that users of U.S. currency are aware of the new security features,” said Treasurer of the United States Rosie Rios.
“The advanced security features we’ve included in the new $100 note will hinder potential counterfeiters from producing high-quality fakes that can deceive consumers and merchants,” said Larry R. Felix, Director of the Treasury’s Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
The new $100 note also displays American symbols of freedom, including phrases from the Declaration of Independence and the quill the Founding Fathers used to sign this historic document.
As one of the oldest crimes in history, counterfeiting of money remains a challenge for the government. During the Civil War, it was estimated that up to one-third of all currency in circulation was counterfeit. According to the Treasury, less than 1/100th of one percent of U.S. currency in circulation is reported counterfeit today.
For more information on the redesigned $100 note and its features, visit www.newmoney.gov
