$10 Bill Gets a Face-lift

March, 2, 2006 — -- It spends the same, but the new $10 bill has a completely different look -- one that government officials hope will be much harder to copy .

The U.S. Treasury, the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Secret Service introduced the redesigned $10 bill today at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The updated bill has more color and an eye-catching design. And in an effort to combat counterfeiting, security features have been enhanced, making the new bill more difficult for counterfeiters to duplicate.

"The security and design features are state of the art and user-friendly. Design elements are symbolic of the freedom we cherish as a nation," said Michael Lambert, the assistant director of the Fed's division of reserve bank operations and payment systems.

The security thread on the new $10 bill runs vertically to the right of Alexander Hamilton with the words "USA TEN." The watermark, a faint image of Hamilton, is visible when held up to a light. And a trick-of-the light security tweak to the number 10 in the front lower-right corner means when the $10 bill is tilted up or down or side to side, the color-shifting ink changes from copper to green.

The new $10 bill was redesigned "to secure the integrity of our nation's currency," to ensure the United States "stays ahead of counterfeiting," said U.S. Treasurer Anna Cabral. Cabral added that this is the "most secure $10 note ever in history."

As a part of U.S. efforts to stay ahead of counterfeiters and with the increasing advancements in technology, the government will continue to redesign U.S. currency over the next seven to 10 years, officials said.

The heightened security features are not the only things to look for in the new $10 note. The overall color is an orange shade. No longer surrounded by an oval border, Hamilton's visage stands alone. To the right, the words "We the People" from the U.S. Constitution are in red. Small yellow 10s appear on the left, and to emphasize freedom, Lady Liberty's torch has been added to the bill.