Comments on: Blind Americans Win Money Battle

By: David Spector

David Spector — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 02:38:38 +0000

Cutting corners is too small a change, too easy to counterfeit. Also, corners tend to fold over too easily. See the OurMoneyToo.org website (Solutions page) for suggestions that have stood the test of time.

By: Louis

Louis — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 02:08:47 +0000

Instead of making some holes, it could be also an idea to cut the corners depending on the value.
none for $5
one corner for $10
2 for $20
3 for $50
all the corners for $100

By: David Spector

David Spector — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 14:43:24 +0000

Oops! This blog includes the period in the URL, so it doesn’t work (and the blog has no Preview function).

Here is the URL without a period: http://www.OurMoneyToo.org/epoxy.php

By: David Spector

David Spector — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 14:40:06 +0000

Michael, If I understand your idea correctly, you advocate punched holes. I imagine this would be something like one hole for a hundred, two holes for a fifty, etc. (more complex patterns would be unnecessary and more difficult to recognize by touch). But then a counterfeiter merely has to fill in holes, which isn’t much of a disincentive. It would be better than nothing, but compare with the epoxy dots scheme described at http://www.OurMoneyToo.org/epoxy.php. This scheme would add dots that anyone, sighted or blind, could use to determine denomination, yet would also be a powerful anticounterfeiting feature at the same time.

By: Michael Motyka

Michael Motyka — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 23:28:12 +0000

There might be a very simple solution for the currency for the blind issue. Instead of reinventing new currency of different sizes, or embossing dots on any new currency, which would most likely flatten out over time with money counters and general wear, perhaps punching holes in each new bill in the shape or symbol of what the embossed dots would spell out would work. I would imagine that if a blind person can understand the dots (which I think is an amazing feat) they could probably “read” holes after a while just as well. It wouldn’t cost alot to add a punching process to the new bills and the fed could actually punch and reissue circulating bills once they pass through a fed reserve bank.
Just a thought, but hey maybe a simple solution for what might become a colosal task based on the latest ruling.
Any comments?

By: Jessica Pfund

Jessica Pfund — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 01:11:03 +0000

Yah! Australian notes are super-cool and hold together well after a couple of washes in the laundry.

What I particularly like about a lot of these bills are that they feature people important to the country’s culture rather than just heads of state. The old French francs (before the Euro) displayed the Little Prince and Saint-ExupÃ©ry on the 50 note, something many people say they miss seeing.

By: Brad

Brad — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 04:44:11 +0000

So do Australian notes, which are also made out of polymer so they last longer and are more difficult to counterfeit.

http://www.rba.gov.au/CurrencyNotes/NotesInCirculation/index.html