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A New Dollar on the Horizon?

Here is the story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061130/ap_on_go_ot/blind_money

The US Government was sued because a group felt that US paper currency isn't blind/vision-impaired friendly. Citing that all the bills look the same, feel the same, and are the same size. Which poses a problem for those who cannot see when using the paper currency.

What are your views, and possible ideas on how to make the US currency more blind friendly. Personally I never thought about this, but I agree that there needs to be some sort of distinction between the values besides what is printed. I'm leaning towards having the different values have different edges, or texture.
 
I've never thought if it either, but I think it's a very good thing. I think braile or whatever they will do will help with counterfeiters, too.
 
I thought I saw something on the news about punching braille holes in them. I just saw a snippet so I'm not sure. It is a good point.
 
Anything that makes the USD look fancy is good...


I say we embed holographs!
 
1 - So we are changing the currency to protect the disabled from inherently dishonest American citizens ? Shame on all of us.

2 - Wouldn't it be cheaper to give the blind a type of pocket reader / scanner of sorts than redesign the entire monetary look ? What kind of cost are we looking at to retool and redesign the printing systems ? Oh, wait the Govt. has it all under control, they spend our cash pretty well aready.
 
it won't help the blind. It would just be cool!

It was a joke.
 
sounds to me like the kinda thing debit cards are for.................

cant make everything perfect for everyone without going broke or freaking nuts.................
 
It shouldn't be too hard to do. I think we're the only country I can think of that has all of our paper money the exact same size and feel.

They could put them on different textured paper, or make a little textured section. They could put holes or embossed bumps on them. They could make them slightly different size. It shouldn't be too hard to do - and frankly it would be good for all of us - it's hard to tell how much money you have with a stack of identical looking bills, and it's easy to accidentally pay too much or too little for something.

Capslock
 
  • #10
still going to cost us.......i have no problem figuring out how much money i have but i can read and count.

still say the best solution is for the blind to use the readily availible debit cards but prehaps that solution is to simple to work. seems to be working well for those of us with the ability to see. cant figure out how it wont work for the blind.
 
  • #11
We have to print new bills anyway. New bills usually have tweaks to their design anyway. Is this really a big step?
 
  • #12
being a printer and basically knowing how they print the bills i would say it would prolly be quite an increase in cost to change sizes........sure we change our bills every so often but size has remained the same. what are you going to do about all the ATM machines throughout the country and all the others that take bills. i would think all would have to be reprogramed or if we go with bills larger than current ones rebuilt. possibly rebuilding the current ones even if we just go smaller instead of bigger. whos going to pay fo all that?

the use of debit cards just seems like more of a real world solution and i would guess most blind ppl who are worried about being ripped off due so. this case sounds like another "My Coffee Burned Me, So Im Sueing" kinda thing. someone wants their name in the papers or $
 
  • #13
I agree with rattler.

They cannot change the size of bills without a major overhaul of EVERY device made to handle, fit, store, and distrubute the cash. And the texture is actualy one of the best identifying fetures of authentic paper money.
 
  • #14
yea, I think their should be some kind of small portable scanner for the blind. Like what they use in soda machines!
 
  • #15
isnt paper too flimsy?
 
  • #16
I agree about the size, but that's not the only way to do it. Would embossing be a big deal? I could see the country embossing money one day just as a design element and a measure against counterfeiting. Why not take it a little step further and make it useful?
 
  • #17
It wouldn't be too hard to change the type of paper or ink, would it? The size of the bills doesn't have to change; just punch some holes in the margin, or print the decoration on the margins in foil or a raised/textured ink. You can already feel the print, security strip and other features on newer bills - I can't imagine it would be too hard to choose designs that the blind could easily differentiate.
~Joe
 
  • #18
[b said:
Quote[/b] (rattler_mt @ Dec. 05 2006,6:38)]still going to cost us.......i have no problem figuring out how much money i have but i can read and count.

still say the best solution is for the blind to use the readily availible debit cards but prehaps that solution is to simple to work. seems to be working well for those of us with the ability to see. cant figure out how it wont work for the blind.
And what if a blind person wants to get something at the corner store that does not take debit cards or credit cards (Yes there are still a few of these that exist). Not all establishments that accept cash accept debit or credit cards. Also with debit cards whats to stop the cashier from adding 20 in cash back and pocketing it. Most of those machines do not talk (or if they do I dont know how to make them) so a debit card is still not a complete failsafe.

I think there are many to redesign the money with out changing size. First we should drop the $1 and possible the $5 bills out and switch them to coins. This would actully save us money in not having to reprint those so often. Then all we need to do is chage a small feature of the bill like adding brail or punching holes as other s have suggested. If we just punch holes we would even do this to money already in circulation.

I also find it very sad that people would take advantage of anyone really and this requires us to make our money differnt so that people cant rip off the blind. This is just sad.
 
  • #19
speaking as an American who goes to Canada an aweful lot............$1+$2 coins SUCK.........i REALLY dont like them. paper weights ALOT less

changing the whole system because of the discomfort of few is idiotic........

after 3 knee surgeries that have left me pretty well crippled for periods varrying from a few days to most of a month i have to say boo-hoo........just cause i was on crutches and unable to bend my knee i didnt expect stores to put in ramps just cause i couldnt negotiate stairs short of sitting on my rear and going up and down them. i find this kinda thinking idiotic.

deal with it. if a certain store doesnt accept debit cards FIND ANOTHER STORE. even up here in the middle of nowhere i can use a debit almost everywhere.....and i can use it everywhere that i actually HAVE TO purchase stuff from. ppl need to quit crying, suck it up and deal with the hand they have been delt, asking everyone else to change because YOU dont feel like finding a way for yourself to deal is selfish.
 
  • #20
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]It wouldn't be too hard to change the type of paper or ink, would it? The size of the bills doesn't have to change; just punch some holes in the margin, or print the decoration on the margins in foil or a raised/textured ink. You can already feel the print, security strip and other features on newer bills - I can't imagine it would be too hard to choose designs that the blind could easily differentiate.
It all depends on the cost to impliment things like that, and their durability. A hole in a bill leaves the chance it may be caught and ripped- i dont think it would be durable. Also, the cost of those things you talked about might make bills more expensive to produce- we need a net profit from the printing of money to make it practicle for he goverment to mass-produce it
 
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