# Dollar bill size: democratic gesture? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 27, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888 "2003-02-27T14:50:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/21 "2003-02-28T06:15:40Z")
The aussie idea of only varying the length would work well in the US as ATM machines would only need minimal retrofitting for it. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/22 "2003-02-28T07:17:43Z")
We don’t need a column on this topic. The recent book _Greenback_ by Jason Goodwin covers this topic and a whole bunch of other stuff about the history of U.S. paper money. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/23 "2003-02-28T10:20:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BobT \* > \*\*We don’t need a column on this topic. The recent book _Greenback_ by Jason Goodwin covers this topic and a whole bunch of other stuff about the history of U.S. paper money. \*\* Well this conversation has come full-circle. The person who told my brother the story in the OP was none other than… Jason Goodwin! ---
**Author:** ![Popup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@Popup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Popup)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/24 "2003-02-28T13:03:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > \*\*… starting issuing banknotes around the 1810’s. They were of a rather standard size. \*\* I believe that they were 7 [sup]3[/sup]/[sub]8[/sub]" by 3[sup]1[/sup]/[sub]4[/sub]" - by a curious coincidence(;)) the same size as the later _Hollerith cards_, made by the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company, later to become the International Business Machines, that we all know and love. ---
**Author:** ![lothos2002](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/df788c/32.png) [@lothos2002](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lothos2002)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/25 "2003-02-28T15:43:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by paperbackwriter \* > \*\*Sounds like a great subject for a staff report, newest SDSTAFF Samclem? \*\* hear, hear. I think this would be a very interesting topic to get more information. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/26 "2003-02-28T18:47:57Z")
All in favor, say Aye. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/27 "2003-02-28T19:30:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by BobT \* > > We don’t need a column on this topic. The recent book Greenback by Jason Goodwin covers this topic and a whole bunch of other stuff about the history of U.S. paper money. > > \*\*Well this conversation has come full-circle. > > The person who told my brother the story in the OP was none other than… Jason Goodwin! \*\* Then perhaps Mr. Goodwin could be asked to provide a citation to back it up? ---
**Author:** ![bradwalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@bradwalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bradwalt)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/28 "2003-02-28T19:43:08Z")
Let’s not rework our system for printing currency. Everybody will be using debit cards in place of currency within 5 years! If I’m wrong, send me an e-mail in March 2008. ---
**Author:** ![ProjectOmega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b487fb/32.png) [@ProjectOmega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProjectOmega)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/29 "2003-02-28T20:43:15Z")
The new Canadian $5 and $10 bills have braille on them to assist the blind. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/30 "2003-02-28T20:57:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bradwalt \* > Let’s not rework our system for printing currency. Everybody will be using debit cards in place of currency within 5 years! If I’m wrong, send me an e-mail in March 2008. And I suppose we’ll all be using flying cars by 2011? You check your Inbox, March 2008. I think you’ll be getting something. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/31 "2003-02-28T23:14:19Z")
I doubt that it’s worth an article. Thanks for making me aware of the book, **BobT**. I hope that Goodwin doesn’t turn out to be another “Bill Bryson,” writing about subjects which he has superficially researched, but writing in a great style which makes the public love him. Uh oh! Upon Googling a bit, I found a review which is probably quoting Goodwin that a “buck” as a name for a dollar came from the amount of goods that a buckskin in trade would bring at the local general store. I’ll have to get the book this weekend and digest it. The concept that Democracy was responsible is probably hooey. But I’d best not get on my high horse until I read Goodwin’s exact words. . ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/32 "2003-03-01T00:54:51Z")
As the movie _Daredevil_ has demonstrated, it is easy to change the size of bills through a simplified form of origami. ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rex_fenestrarum/32/7265_2.png) [@Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Fenestrarum)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/33 "2003-03-01T01:07:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Oh, and you also need pretty colours on your notes. Yes, we’re supposed to be getting that this fall, but the designs haven’t been made public yet. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/34 "2003-03-01T03:55:34Z")
_ **Greenback** _ is anecdotal and superficial. It glides over the standardization and regulation of national banknotes in a few sentences, and all but ignores the later transition to Federal Reserve Notes. In an admittedly quick skim, I saw nothing which would address the OP, other than the common-sense observation that Americans are conservative about changing their currency. The [Bureau of Engraving and Printing](http://www.bep.treas.gov/document.cfm/18/127) had a committee publish a report about “Currency Features for Visually Impaired People”, which probably discusses this issue. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/35 "2003-03-01T05:00:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bradwalt \* > \*\*Let’s not rework our system for printing currency. Everybody will be using debit cards in place of currency within 5 years! If I’m wrong, send me an e-mail in March 2008. \*\* On my calender. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/36 "2003-03-01T07:58:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bradwalt \* > \*\*Let’s not rework our system for printing currency. Everybody will be using debit cards in place of currency within 5 years! If I’m wrong, send me an e-mail in March 2008. \*\* I am inclined to agree. I currently use my ATM to pay for my gas, water, phone, mortgage, cable and every other bill (other than electricity that charges an extra fee) by phone, on the day it is due. No worry about when the money gets there, no checking fees, and the authorization codes are proof the bill was paid. I probably use less than $20.00 in cash per week. I used to take more cash out on the weekend, and discovered that the more I took out, the more I spent. Now, using only ATM’s and debit purchases, I spend what I need and not a penny more. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888/37 "2003-03-01T11:39:15Z")
I’m betting ease of use + tradition. It’s probably for the best though… I was reading this documentary on the troubles of various monetary systems; for example, > [@](#): > > the Flaninian Pobble Bead is only exchangeable for other Flaninian Pobble Beads, and the Triganic Pu has its own very special problems. Its exchange rate of eight Ningis to one Pu is simple enough, but since a Ningi is a triangular rubber coin six thousand eight hundred miles across each side, no one has ever collected enough to own one Pu. Ningis are not negotiable currency because the banks refuse to deal in fiddling small change. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dollar-bill-size-democratic-gesture/157888.md?page=1)