Currency Design

June 25, 2004

I have always been intrigued with currency design. I found this database of world currency and was fascinated by the different designs and changes in design with currency. The size of a bill, its security features, the colors they use, readability, et cetera. Currency design is a lot like web design. Why do I say that? Ponder the following points.

Size

Screen sizes and resolutions are always changing but there seems to be a standard size in web design around 760 pixels as the max width if you want to design for an 800 x 600 screen, which is still the most common.

Each country’s currency may vary in dimensions, yet all are still rectangles and most will still fit in your standard wallet.

Is it Secure

Making users aware that your site is safe to use is key. Most websites that need to have information secure on their website use a secure server and some type of encryption. User’s need to be made aware that your site is secure somehow, otherwise you may miss out on additional sales, information, and contacts.

When a new bill is put into circulation the treasury department usually does a good job in explaining the new security features, usually with press releases, posters, commercials or even Wal-Mart attendants. This helps you know the difference between a counterfeit and the real stuff.

Colors

Colors used on a website can be for aesthetics, but it can also be for branding and name recognition. Choosing the right color may be one of the key ingredients in establishing a company’s website aesthetic feel.

You may say the United States currency has a boring look with their green and black colors. But can you imagine their bills without the green dominance. What if the $1 bill was redesigned and the dominant color was red instead of green. There goes the name “greenback”. Use existing brand recognition colors.

Antarctica (yeah, they have a currency too) has one of the most colorful bills I have seen. It almost looks like a tour brochure photo used. Both the US and Antarctica bills accomplish a type branding and marketing for its country. You can note from the dollar that the US is very patriotic place, and history it is very important to them. Whereas, the Antarctica bill shows you that there are penguins, they are environmentally aware there, they have mountains and ice, and it looks cold. Yeah, you could have guessed that but if you never heard of Antarctica it makes its case. Overall, color is important to the feel and look.

Readability

Make your websites readable and accessible. Use standards-based design so screen readers and search engines can easily read them.

On all of the new dollar bills on the back they have one corner printed with the currency denomination in a large sans-serif font. It was added for the visually impaired to distinguish between currency amounts.