The Redesigned Currency
About the Redesigned $10 Bill
The new $10 bill, which was the third denomination to be redesigned in the series, includes subtle shades of orange, yellow and red along with images of the Statue of Liberty's torch and the words "We the People" from the United States Constitution. The new $10 bill was introduced on March 2, 2006.
Security Features
The redesigned $10 bill also retains three of the most important security features that were first introduced in the 1990s and are easy to check: color-shifting ink, watermark and security thread.
Color-Shifting Ink: Tilt your ten to check that the numeral "10" in the lower right-hand corner on the face of the bill changes color from copper to green. The color shift is more dramatic on the redesigned currency, making it even easier for people to check their money.
Watermark: Hold your ten up to the light to see if a faint image of Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton appears to the right of his large portrait. It can be seen from both sides of the bill. On the redesigned $10 bill, a blank oval has been incorporated into the design to highlight the watermark's location.
Security Thread: Hold your $10 bill up to the light and make sure there's a small strip embedded in the paper. The words "USA TEN" and a small flag are visible in tiny print. It runs vertically to the right of the portrait and can be seen from both sides of the bill. This thread glows orange when held under ultraviolet light.
To protect our economy and your hard-earned money, the United States government expects to redesign its currency every seven to ten years.
Design Features
Symbols of Freedom: New symbols of freedom representing icons of Americana are part of the new design series. Two images of the torch carried by the Statue of Liberty are printed in red on the face of the new $10 bill. A large image of the torch is printed in the background to the left of the portrait of Secretary Hamilton, while a second, smaller metallic red image of the torch can be found on the lower right side of the portrait. The symbols of freedom differ for each denomination.
Color: The most noticeable difference in the newly designed $10 bill is the addition of subtle background colors of orange, yellow and red. The words "We the People" from the United States Constitution have been printed in red in the background to the right of the portrait. Also, small yellow “10”s have been printed in the background to the left of the portrait on the face of the bill and to the right of the vignette on the back of the bill. The background colors differ with each denomination to help distinguish them.
Updated Portrait and Vignette: The oval borders and fine lines surrounding the portrait of Secretary Hamilton on the face, and the United States Treasury Building vignette on the back, have been removed. The portrait has been moved up and shoulders have been extended into the border. Additional engraving details have been added to the vignette background.
In addition, the new $10 bill also retains a number of other existing design features.
Microprinting: Because they are so small, microprinted words are hard to replicate. The redesigned $10 bill features microprinting on the face of the bill in two areas: the word "USA" and the numeral "10" can be found repeated beneath the large printed torch and the words "THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "TEN DOLLARS" can be found below the portrait, as well as vertically inside the left and right borders of the bill.
Low-Vision Feature: The large number "10" in the lower right corner on the back of the bill is easy to read.
Federal Reserve Indicators: A universal seal to the left of the portrait represents the entire Federal Reserve System. A letter and number beneath the left serial number identifies the issuing Federal Reserve Bank.
Serial Numbers: The unique combination of eleven numbers and letters appears twice on the face of the bill. On the new $10 bill, the left serial number has shifted slightly to the right, compared with previous designs.
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