New $100 Note to be released in October 2013 "The New Benjamin"

The US Federal Reserve Board announced that a new version of the $100 bill will finally enter circulation in October, nearly three years after the redesign was first revealed. Featuring state-of-the art security measures meant to deter counterfeiters, it’s the fifth U.S. note to receive a facelift since 2003, following in the footsteps of the $5, $10, $20, and $50 bills.

The new look was revealed in late 2010 and was supposed to enter circulation in February 2011, but Fed officials blame the hold-up on unexpected production delays. Among the new security features are color-shifting ink, enhanced watermarks, raised printing to give the bill texture and a blue 3D ribbon woven down the center of the front of the bill. When the bill is moved up and down or side-to-side, a series of “100” numerals in the ribbon will move as well. The bill also features color images of a quill pen and a copper inkwell, which reveals another design element, a green image of the Liberty Bell, when tilted.

Like most other Federal Reserve notes, the $100 bill was introduced in 1914, featured a small profile shot of Benjamin Franklin on the front and included figures meant to represent America, peace, labor and commerce on the reverse. These early bills were about 30% larger than today’s versions, measuring around 7.4 x 3.1 inches. The first series of redesigns took place in 1929 and introduced a number of changes: Alexander Hamilton, America’s first treasury secretary, replaced Andrew Jackson on the $10 bill; Jackson himself replaced President Grover Cleveland on the $20 bill; Cleveland, alas, was shoved over to the $1,000 bill, which was discontinued soon thereafter; the bills were reduced to their current size of 6.1 x 2.6 inches; and the overall design of the notes, which had previously varied significantly, was standardized.

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