# New $20 bill unveiled, and I got a beef... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 13, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975 "2003-05-13T15:58:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/1 "2003-05-13T15:58:14Z")
First off, [here’s what it looks like.](http://www.moneyfactory.com/newmoney/#). Now on to my beef: I thought about putting this in the Pit, but it really isn’t a rant, it’s more of a wtf?-type thing. I was reading the press release regarding the unveiling of the redesigned $20 bill. (It can be found [here](http://www.moneyfactory.com/newmoney/main.cfm/media/05132003)) I was thoroughly enjoying my lunch-time read, when I come across a quote by U.S. Treasury Secretary John W. Snow. He says, > [@](#): > > In addition to keeping our currency safe from counterfeiters, we are working to ensure that more of those dollars stay in the pockets of American families. The swift enactment of the President’s Jobs and Growth package should do just that. Does anyone else find this politicking inappropriate here? This is a release from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, not exactly a partisan operation. I understand this bureau falls directly under the control of the Treasury Secretary (who has agendas) and he falls directly under the President (who has agendas), but this push for the President’s tax-cut bill is absolutely ridiculous. Or am I overreacting? Happy ---
**Author:** ![VenusProbe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e495f1/32.png) [@VenusProbe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VenusProbe)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/2 "2003-05-13T16:11:51Z")
You are not overreacting, little George has been pulling sh\*t like that since he stole… um took office. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/3 "2003-05-13T16:34:46Z")
No, I don’t think you’re overreacting. It was an inappropriate time and place for that statement. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/4 "2003-05-13T17:18:22Z")
Ditto on the “no you’re not overreacting” sentiment. Uhhh…why are they redesigning the $20 bill _again_? Didn’t we just do this? Why couldn’t they do it right the first time? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/5 "2003-05-13T17:33:18Z")
I guess counterfeiters are much better than we thought, huh? Least the bills will look purty. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/6 "2003-05-13T17:56:51Z")
“Look purty” … in your pocket, thanks to Dubya! Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/7 "2003-05-13T18:19:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Uhhh…why are they redesigning the $20 bill again? Didn’t we just do this? Why couldn’t they do it right the first time? In fact, from now on I believe the plan now is to redesign the bills about every 10 years, to keep ahead of counterfeiting. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/8 "2003-05-13T18:22:57Z")
So does that mean they’re taking in the old ones, or what? ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/9 "2003-05-13T18:24:11Z")
I was hoping it would be, ummm…funkier. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/10 "2003-05-13T18:38:12Z")
Eh? Given the (over-)reactions of some Americans, I was expecting it to be in hot pink or neon orange. And maybe with Mr Jackson sporting facial tatoos and a nose ring. But it really looks much the same as the current design, which was a much more radical departure from the previous one. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/11 "2003-05-13T18:41:57Z")
It just looks…I dunno…European, with the colors and big head and all that. It’s just vaguely disturbing. I mean, my ancestors came to this country to get away from things like that (Well, that, and the religious bigotry, and the poverty) ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/12 "2003-05-13T19:08:52Z")
Looks like somebody spilled bleach on a $20. And am I the only one who looked at the date on the OP to make sure it wasn’t a _really_ old thread, resurrected? ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/13 "2003-05-13T19:22:45Z")
I have to say, I like the redesign overall, but I don’t understand why they had to put SPECIMEN in red on it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/14 "2003-05-13T19:39:37Z")
Oh, crikey! Now I have to shop around for a new scanner and printer…😉 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/15 "2003-05-13T20:02:44Z")
> [@](#): > > I was hoping it would be, ummm…funkier. At least it’ll be interesting (briefly). The last change was hideous (big heads and all). Perhaps in a few years we’ll have a bill that’s not even an eyesore. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/16 "2003-05-13T20:12:39Z")
I heard the head of the bureau of printing and engraving on NPR this morning. The bills will stay relatively conservative, he said, because that “says” dependability and stability in the U.S. government. I guess if the bills are all pink and froofy, you can’t trust government. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/17 "2003-05-13T20:20:20Z")
Does anybody think Mr. Jackson’s head is far too big for his body? ---
**Author:** ![Sengkelat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Sengkelat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sengkelat)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/18 "2003-05-13T20:32:16Z")
That “USA TWENTY” in the wavy type looks like it came straight off a supermarket sale flyer. “SPIRAL CUT BONELESS HAM ONLY USA TWENTY!” Could you pick a more dignified font next time, please? ---
**Author:** ![knarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@knarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knarf)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/19 "2003-05-13T20:38:27Z")
I wonder if they’ll change the $1 bill this time. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975/20 "2003-05-13T20:50:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sengkelat \* > \*\*That “USA TWENTY” in the wavy type looks like it came straight off a supermarket sale flyer. “SPIRAL CUT BONELESS HAM ONLY USA TWENTY!” Could you pick a more dignified font next time, please? \*\* Yeah, seriously, first thing I thought as well. **Knarf** , no, no redesign on the $1, because they aren’t worth counterfeiting. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-20-bill-unveiled-and-i-got-a-beef/174975.md?page=2)