The Federal Reserve announced Wednesday that a new $100 will go into circulation in the coming months, according to the Associated Press. The announcement comes two years after the date that was originally set for the new design to circulate.
The current target date for the new bill is Oct. 8. The new bill will have additional features that will strengthen the bill's security against counterfeiters. The bill's we be armed with a 3-D blue security ribbon and a vanishing Liberty Bell in an inkwell.
The previous target date was Feb. 2011. However, in Dec. 2010 officials said that creation of the new bill would be suspended until further notice. Officials believed the process needed more time to deal with creases in the bills as well as other production issues.
"We made numerous process changes to address the creasing issue and we are back in full production," said Dawn Haley, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
Among the changes was a modification to the paper feeder in the printing presses to deal with variations associated with the 3-D security ribbon. Thousands of little lenses make up the blue 3-D security ribbon. The lenses amplify the objects below them to make them look like they're moving in one direction as the bill moves in another. The $100 bill is the most targeted bill by counterfeiters.
"To ensure a smooth transition to the redesigned note when it begins circulating in October, the U.S. Currency Education Program is reaching out to businesses and consumers around the world to raise awareness about the new design and inform them about how to use its security features," said a press release on newmoney.gov.
The change to U.S. currency is the latest in a trend that began in 2003. Since then changes to the $50, $10, and $5 dollar bills have been made.
