# New $10 bill coming. Why do store clerks agonize over them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 28, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903 "2005-09-28T19:54:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/21 "2005-09-29T00:39:06Z")
Although it’ll never fit in a birthday card, the colorful [Italian tenner](http://www.mammamiamagic.com/images/pavaroti.jpg) trumps all. ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/22 "2005-09-29T00:40:26Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > That’s okay, it comes in handy. The next time you turn around and don’t see someone, it’s me. Well, it might be me. I’ve been known to not stand behind quite a few people in my day. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/23 "2005-09-29T00:50:43Z")
> [@seosamh](#): > > Er, call that colourful? Isn’t it just green and black? Don’t you have any other colour ink in the US? As **Mr. Blue Sky** wrote it’s almost miraculous that these changes have been instituted. For years our bills were all the same size and color scheme. The only differences were the numbers and the picture. If all our coins had been the same with just different numbers and images can you imagine the outrage? Years and years ago a woman US Representative made the sensible suggestion that the black backs on the bills be replaced by different colors for the different denominations. She was laughed at by our elected Congressional leaders. Maybe after we get our currency user friendly we can come way up into the 19th century and use the metric system for weights and measures. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/24 "2005-09-29T01:16:52Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > Although it’ll never fit in a birthday card, the colorful [Italian tenner](http://www.mammamiamagic.com/images/pavaroti.jpg) trumps all. _Slap!_ _Slap!_ _Slap!_ ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/25 "2005-09-29T01:28:13Z")
Good Lord, it looks like an illustration for a cheap elementary school history book with a tile like “The Story of Our Country with Pictures of Smooth Faced Dead Guys Looking the Way They Would Look in the Saturday Morning Cartoons.” The damned thing looks like it was designed by the Elderly Republican Ladies Of Dubuque Social Club. The problem isn’t that its different. The problem is that it isn’t different enough and is throughly pedestrian to boot. Of course since all it will buy is a dollar’s worth of gas (1962 price) and a cup of coffee flavored swill it’s good enough. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/26 "2005-09-29T01:31:38Z")
Having lived almost my entire life in the US, I find that other countries’ colorful money looks kind of silly to me. I suppose growing up with our monochrome currency has made anything else seem kind of frivolous, while US Dollars strike me as more serious and dignified. Bills with lots of colors and designs always remind me a bit of [Playskool](http://www.hasbro.com/playskool/favorites/) toys; it’s interesting and all, but it doesn’t seem like _real money_. Yes, I’m aware that this is just my acculturated view, and yes, I know how narrow it sounds, etc., etc. I’m just saying. ---
**Author:** ![Agonist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@Agonist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agonist)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/27 "2005-09-29T01:41:27Z")
> [@jackelope](#): > > it’s interesting and all, but it doesn’t seem like _real money_. I think this is most Americans’ view of colorful bills - we used to call it “Monopoly money” when we were being provincial. My donation to the colorful money debate: [the Dutch Guilder](http://www.rgaros.nl/money/notes/25-front.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/28 "2005-09-29T01:43:02Z")
> [@Agonist](#): > > My donation to the colorful money debate: [the Dutch Guilder](http://www.rgaros.nl/money/notes/25-front.html) Are you sure that’s not a TV test pattern? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/29 "2005-09-29T01:45:15Z")
> [@Agonist](#): > > My donation to the colorful money debate: [the Dutch Guilder](http://www.rgaros.nl/money/notes/25-front.html) Yikes, that’s hideous! Guess this is why the Dutch aren’t the leaders of the fashion industry. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/30 "2005-09-29T03:10:45Z")
I think our money is so drab because we spend so much time thinking about it and so many people try and get us to spend it, if they made it all pretty we would spend way too much time looking at it and not spending it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/31 "2005-09-29T03:11:48Z")
> [@jackelope](#): > > it’s interesting and all, but it doesn’t seem like _real money_ Considering how the dollar has been doing against some of those colorful currencies lately, I’d tread gingerly on the phrase “real money”… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/32 "2005-09-29T03:39:06Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > it’s interesting and all, but it doesn’t seem like real money > > Considering how the dollar has been doing against some of those colorful currencies lately, I’d tread gingerly on the phrase “real money”… 😛 It’s not rational, it’s sort of in the “if the ointment doesn’t sting it isn’t doing anything” genre. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/33 "2005-09-29T03:55:59Z")
> [@Spatial Rift 47](#): > > Well, it might be me. I’ve been known to not stand behind quite a few people in my day. As I was going up the stair, I saw a man who wasn’t there. He wasn’t there again today… I think he’s with the CIA. 🙂 In the tradition of colourful money, my all-time fave: [the Netherlands **50** -guilder note](http://www.rgaros.nl/money/notes/50-front.html). I like yellow and sunflowers. What can I say… Continuing in that line, here’s my favourite Canadian note: the [back](http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/banknotes/general/character/2001-04_20.html) of the current twenty-dollar note. Yes, it has yellow. And Haida art. Haida art is inherently cool. > [@silenus](#): > > Colorful, yeah. But it’s worth what…maybe $1.23 Merkin? Just remember. We have oil and no federal deficit. Our dollar is going _up_. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/34 "2005-09-29T04:46:54Z")
> [@Atheist Princess](#): > > Jumping in on the “Our notes are more colourful” band wagon, this is the [Aussie tenner](http://members.ozemail.com.au/~enigman/australia/ten_dol.html) That’s cool. But why’d ya put the dude from Midnight Oil on your money? :dubious: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/35 "2005-09-29T08:29:29Z")
On a serious note, I am assuming that your new Technicolor® bills now incorporate tactile and other devices to assist the sight-impaired. But your old ones didn’t (or if they did, I’ve never noticed them). Without these new indications, how do the sight-impaired tell the difference between denominations of bills which are all exactly the same size and roughly the same combination of green & white? Guesswork? Smell? Or do they rely on the honesty of the bloke behind the counter? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/36 "2005-09-29T08:35:32Z")
Unfortunately, it still has that wanker Hamilton on the front. Burr won the duel, why isn’t he on our money? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/37 "2005-09-29T11:55:40Z")
> [@Agonist](#): > > I think this is most Americans’ view of colorful bills - we used to call it “Monopoly money” when we were being provincial. > > My donation to the colorful money debate: [the Dutch Guilder](http://www.rgaros.nl/money/notes/25-front.html) MY EYES! ZE GOGGLES! ZEY DO NOSSING! ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/38 "2005-09-29T15:59:49Z")
> [@seosamh](#): > > OK - so there are a few tiny bits of other colour in the note. But even the most fervent Yankee-doodle must admit that your paper currency is a bit on the lacklustre side. Compared with, say, an old [Irish tenner](http://www.banknotes.com/IE76.JPG) or a [hundred](http://www.banknotes.com/IE79.JPG). Lessee… On the one hand, we have bright colors. On the other hand, we have the best currency in the world, but it’s drab. Gimme drab. Lots of it! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/39 "2005-09-29T16:22:56Z")
> [@Agonist](#): > > My donation to the colorful money debate: [the Dutch Guilder](http://www.rgaros.nl/money/notes/25-front.html) Dude! Have you ever looked at the Dutch Guilder? I mean, \*really \*looked at the Dutch Guilder? Awesome, man… _cough, cough_ um…what were we talking about? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903/40 "2005-09-29T22:13:33Z")
I want something with [zebras](http://www.banknotes.com/TZ30.JPG) or maybe a [lion](http://www.banknotes.com/TZ37.JPG) ((I actually love Tanzanian paper currency. Now if they just had a bill worth more then about $10.)) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-10-bill-coming-why-do-store-clerks-agonize-over-them/323903.md?page=1)