WASHINGTON-In an effort to stay ahead of the counterfeiting curve, the Treasury Department's Bureau of Engraving and Printing recently unveiled the soon-to-be-released $20 bill. The reconfigured $20 note will be issued in the fall, with new designs for the $50 and $100 bills to come in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Treasury has not yet decided whether to redesign the $5 and $10 bills, but the $1 and $2 notes will not be redesigned. The new notes will be in circulation with current bills. "This is The New Color of Money; it is safer because it is harder to fake and easier to check, smarter to stay ahead of tech-savvy counterfeiters, and more secure than ever," Treasury's Bureau of Engraving and Printing Director Tom Ferguson said. "The security features are easier than ever to use, and we want the public to learn how to use them, to protect their hard-earned money." Subtle green, peach, and blue shades will be visible in the background of the new money. The new bills will use the same, but enhanced portraits and historical images. New security features will include a watermark similar to the large portrait, which is part of the paper itself and visible from both sides when held up to the light; a security thread visible from both sides and embedded in the paper; and enhanced color-shifting ink that makes the numeral 20 in the lower-right corner of the note turn from copper to green when tilted. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, Treasury Secretary John Snow, U.S. Treasurer Rosario Marin, Ferguson, and Secret Service Director W. Ralph Basham attended the unveiling ceremony. "U.S. currency is a worldwide symbol of security and integrity. This new design will help us keep it that way, by protecting against counterfeiting and making it easier for people to confirm the authenticity of their hard-earned money," Snow said during the ceremony. -

[email protected]