# U.S. government resists altering paper money for blind people **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 14, 2006, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074 "2006-12-14T04:17:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/1 "2006-12-14T04:17:01Z")
Story [here.](http://edition.cnn.com/2006/LAW/12/12/blind.money/) Perhaps this is the kind of decision a **court** shouldn’t be making for the Treasury (expect **Bricker** to weigh in within ten posts) – but otherwise, is there any good reason not to print bills in different sizes so blind people can tell a one from a five? (Another solution would be braille dots – but they would just get flattened out in circulation.) ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/2 "2006-12-14T09:35:11Z")
[Sorry, it’s been done.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=398018&highlight=money+braille) (also, note 50+ replies and no **Bricker** 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/3 "2006-12-14T09:45:11Z")
The Treasury is a very conservative institution. The recent redesign of bills was quite traumatic for them, we can only imagine the sort of pressure international counterfeiting was imposing on them. Even then, they went for a minimal redesign. (Heck, Congress has prohibited a redesign of the one-spot!) On the other hand, it is hard to imagine why the heck they did not add blind-freindly features during the redesign. I can only imagine they would increase security. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/4 "2006-12-14T12:08:20Z")
I don’t think Treasury cares, but the BP and E might. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/5 "2006-12-14T12:47:05Z")
I don’t understand how they could exempt themselves from the Americans with Disabilities Act. I know they said that the current currency (heh-heh) doesn’t actually deny them access to money, but if the blind sector says it does, how can the powers that be deny it? I think Bush is a bit dense to deny himself this little bit of positive PR in light of his current approval ratings. ---
**Author:** ![FRDE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e68b1a/32.png) [@FRDE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FRDE)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/6 "2006-12-14T12:50:09Z")
If they introduced Braille then people would just forge them. In the UK when the 50 pence coin first came out, people filed down a larger coin to fool the short sighted. In the UK our bank notes of different sizes, I’ve never really understood why the US$ has to be one size. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/7 "2006-12-14T12:51:27Z")
According to [The American Foundation for the Blind](http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=15#num), approximately 1.3 million people in the US are legally blind. There are over 300 million people in the US. So we need to change our currency, costing millions if not billions of dollars, for something like .3% of the population? I don’t know…on one hand, I feel we should accomodate; on the other, doing it for .3% of the population isn’t what I consider fair. Nor do I consider a lot of things we do to favor the rich, which probably account for approximately the same percentage of our population. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2006, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/8 "2006-12-14T14:09:28Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] On the other hand, it is hard to imagine why the heck they did not add blind-freindly features during the redesign. I can only imagine they would increase security. [/QUOTE] I don’t see why they didn’t make different sizes and colors for different denominations long ago. Having all bills the same size and color combination doesn’t make much more sense than having all coins the same size. Adding all new machinery would be quite a one-time expense and hassle since they must continue printing money during the changeover. But what the hell, B of P and E could just print extra money to pay for it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/9 "2006-12-14T14:14:11Z")
[QUOTE=FRDE] In the UK when the 50 pence coin first came out, people filed down a larger coin to fool the short sighted. [/QUOTE] Which larger coin? ---
**Author:** ![FRDE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e68b1a/32.png) [@FRDE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FRDE)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/10 "2006-12-14T14:31:03Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Which larger coin? [/QUOTE] The Half Crown - 2/ 6d or 25p in todays money. ---
**Author:** ![According\_to\_Pliny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@According\_to\_Pliny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/According_to_Pliny)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/11 "2006-12-14T14:41:00Z")
If we change the money, lets start with the $100 bill so that all old North Korean fakes will stick out like sore thumbs. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/12 "2006-12-14T14:47:29Z")
[QUOTE=FRDE] The Half Crown - 2/ 6d or 25p in todays money. [/QUOTE] Actually, 2/6 is 12.5 p. However, that sounds like a lot of work for 37.5 p. Not only would you have to file down to size, but you’d have to imitate the raised rim on the 50p coin. On a large scale, you be better off melting down the larger coins and remoulding them. However, a filed down half crown might work in vending machines. ---
**Author:** ![FRDE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e68b1a/32.png) [@FRDE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FRDE)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/13 "2006-12-14T14:54:35Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] Actually, 2/6 is 12.5 p. However, that sounds like a lot of work for 37.5 p. Not only would you have to file down to size, but you’d have to imitate the raised rim on the 50p coin. On a large scale, you be better off melting down the larger coins and remoulding them. However, a filed down half crown might work in vending machines. [/QUOTE] I stand corrected, it just shows how I have become decimalized (or perhaps that I’m on the Cab Merlot) They did not bother with the raised rim Have you ever been stuffed with a lead £1 coin ? - it is really annoying ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/14 "2006-12-14T15:06:52Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] However, a filed down half crown might work in vending machines. [/QUOTE] 50p in 1970 is equivalent to [around £5](http://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/ppoweruk/result.php?use%5B%5D=CPI&year_early=1970£71=0.5&shilling71=&pence71=&amount=0.5&year_source=1970&year_result=2005) today. That’s a big chunk o’change for a vending machine. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/15 "2006-12-14T15:10:38Z")
[QUOTE=Tapioca Dextrin] 50p in 1970 is equivalent to [around £5](http://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/ppoweruk/result.php?use%5B%5D=CPI&year_early=1970£71=0.5&shilling71=&pence71=&amount=0.5&year_source=1970&year_result=2005) today. That’s a big chunk o’change for a vending machine. [/QUOTE] It’s probably about the right amount to buy a packet of cigarettes in 1970, then. ---
**Author:** ![42Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/6bbea6/32.png) [@42Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42Geek)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/16 "2006-12-14T15:21:03Z")
> [@](#): > > So we need to change our currency, costing millions if not billions of dollars, for something like .3% of the population? > > I don’t know…on one hand, I feel we should accomodate; on the other, doing it for .3% of the population isn’t what I consider fair. An Arky…back when the ADA was first implimied, everyone complained about things like curb cuts for sidewalks. It was assumed that it would only really benifit wheelchair users. Turned out it benifited bikers, moms with strollers and others. It could benifit sighted people. When my sis did a semester abroad in the UK she said it was so cool, that you could stick your hand in your pocket and tell without looking, how much money you had. Other countries have made their money accessible…why can’t ours? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/17 "2006-12-14T15:42:41Z")
Right…there may be either unintended benefits or consequences involved, which is why I’m not fully against changing the currency. Heck, I’d wouldn’t mind having our currency changed just so it won’t be so boring, but as a practical matter, that doesn’t fly. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/18 "2006-12-14T15:47:40Z")
I would imagine that there’s an easier solution for the sight impaired than using cash anyway. Why not just use debit cards for point of sale purchases and insist that there be a jack on the side of the card reader that announces the amount being spent through a small headphone? The pin is then entered on a Braille friendly keypad and a secure and honest transaction is then completed. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/19 "2006-12-14T15:48:54Z")
[QUOTE=An Arky] According to [The American Foundation for the Blind](http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=15#num), approximately 1.3 million people in the US are legally blind. There are over 300 million people in the US. So we need to change our currency, costing millions if not billions of dollars, for something like .3% of the population? I don’t know…on one hand, I feel we should accomodate; on the other, doing it for .3% of the population isn’t what I consider fair. Nor do I consider a lot of things we do to favor the rich, which probably account for approximately the same percentage of our population. [/QUOTE] Couldn’t that same argument be made for the other minority disabled? But to me that’s neither here nor there. The law states we have to accommodate them. Even an office with a single disabled person has to make accommodations. So how do we say it counts for those guys but not for the blind? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074/20 "2006-12-14T15:57:01Z")
Yup, but that shouldn’t necessarily involve changing the currency sizes. Something like **Cluricaun** posted comes to mind. Also, as **42Geek** mentioned, there might be other benefits to changing the currency sizes, like fraud prevention, etc. I’m just not too keen on changing the currency for one (very small) group/one reason. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-government-resists-altering-paper-money-for-blind-people/384074.md?page=2)