Everyday we are bombarded by design, some memorable, some forgettable, but have you ever stopped and looked at our currency that flows in and out of our hands everyday? Maybe you noticed in the last couple years one of the most exciting changes, the addition of color. This design change was driven by security reasons and wanting to deter counterfeiters.

Another significant issue addressed in the 2003 redesign were the changes made for those visually impaired. A specific color-shifting ink on each denomination helped to distinguish between each bill. Still with these recent changes little has been done to address issues for the blind. There has been a landmark ruling for the blind this year! In May 2008 a federal appeals court ruled that the U.S. Treasury Department is violating the law by failing to design currency that is distinguishable to the blind. Although this ruling might be overturned, it brought the issue into the public eye and might be seriously considered in the next design.

Perhaps in the new design we look to other nations. Several countries not only think about the blind and security but how they want to be represented culturally through imagery. While addressing all these issues, the Swiss Franc is far ahead of the U.S. with their high tech francs. This is one of the most beautiful currency designs with great detail towards the overall look. The security measures are integrated flawlessly and enhance the design. What I love most about this currency is that it ultimately celebrate the arts by choosing musicians, artists and one of my favorite architects – Le Corbusier. And it even somehow finds space to fit a biography of each in microtext. Look at these francs of perfection.

Tags: accessibility, currency, design, graphic design