What do you think of the recent changes to US paper money?

I am pretty indifferent to it. It is money, money is a tool. I see no reason to like to dislike the appearance of a tool. Does it do it's job? That's the main criteria for me.

I think that the new designs look like monopoly money. I don't like the old money either, but for different reasons. I would have liked a new design if it actually made the money easier to use. The numbers are bigger, but that's the only difference from a usability standpoint.

If it will help prevent counterfeiting, I'm all for it.

I think the new bills look like Monopoly money. And I'm looking forward to having the smaller bill or bills turn to coins (NOT coins that look and feel too much like quarters - I think the mint has learned its lesson from the Susan B. Anthony dollar fiasco). I appreciate that the newer bills are harder to counterfeit.

I think they should change, but not in the way they did. American money is rather boring, and it could be a lot cooler and still look like american money. I like the watermark, but there's too much white space on the rest of the bills. They look like they were made on a computer, and not like an artist made them. They could have a lot more color without looking like monopoly money. They've authorized a new dollar coin that's gold colored and has smooth edges to replace the Susan B. dollar and the paper dollar. check out http://www.coincoalition.org Jen: I believe the reason they didn't change the color is because the look and feel of American money is super duper important to the rest of the world. It conveys stability and ... other stuff to all the folks who would be loaning us all that cash, as phi said. The Helvetica bugged me too, until I found out the reason.

They look too much like monopoly money for my tastes.

I like them, but I have to admit that when I first got new bills, I had the visceral "THAT'S not money!" reaction.

They're very non-scottish

I like the new bills (though they do look a little odd). I do not understand why we did not go with multicolored bills (or, at least something other that green and white). The multicolored bills of other countries look nifty to me.

the new bills look too much like monopoly money..

I wish they'd decided to seize the opportunity to put some decent colors in our bills. Now we have money that is both boring and ugly.

I thought the helvetica numbers in one corner were really ugly until somone (topper?) told me they were for people who couldn't see very well.

I have been told that the reason for the redesign is to increase confidence in the dollar overseas, so that the US treasury can circulate more bills, so that they can have an interest free loan on the money those bills represent. I am disturbed by the fact that this justifies the expense of the redesign.

macquivr: scottish banknotes look like monopoly money too.

They didn't change enough. Different denominations should be different colors. Different sizes would help blind people, but would screw up everyone else.

I understand the reasons for changing and why they are changing them in the ways that they are, but I really wish that if they were going to change them, they'd made them more colorful and, well, prettier.

They look more like European currency - what's next, the metric system?!

They look fake. :)

Personally, I think Americans should get over their fear of colors other than Rancid Grey-Green in their money. But hey, it's your dough.

it's kind of weird that we have one of the loudest flags in the world, yet feel that our money must all be this awful shade of gray green...

Uh, I made the mistake of making a crack about the new $100s while in line at a CompUSA in Northern VA. Sure enough, a dude behind me in the line turned out to be the bastard who actually -etched- the plates for it at The Mint. He lectured me on how hard it was and would I please cut him some slack...

So, no comment

I think that they should have added some color!

They fudging suck!!

Because I'm living in Europe, I didn' t even know that the bills were changed. But I' ll try to check this out..

I think it's about time for a change. There are some really high percentage of counterfeit bills going around and if anything can be done to stop this, I'm for it. Also, I like the fact that they made the numbers easier to read for older people. My grandmother always had a lot of trouble figuring out what each bill was, and I'm sure some people are taken advantage of because of this. They do look a bit like "Monopoly Money" though.

They had a write-up on the money in Newsweek. Apparently nobody ever thought of talking to a graphic designer! They just said, "we need a watermark, we need this stripe, ok shove this stuff left and this over here..." The govt graphic designers are horrified that they were never consulted and that the result is so "strange" looking.

strange and intriguing

Personally, I'm glad graphic designers were snubbed on this one. I think they are overrated and full of themselves most of the time. Have you seen some of those web pages out there - pah-leez!

I like the new bills, they're funky.