By Richard Zeid
Thesis, Syracuse University 2004

People covet it. Countries fight over it. People have dedicated their lives to the control of it. They will even kill for it. Always wanting more, never having enough. It really is not that special. It represents a common article for bartering, a medium for exchange. A mere piece of paper measuring approximately six by two and a half inches, printed on both sides. They say it is the root of all evil, this small and rather unimpressive piece of paper, but for hundreds if not thousands of years, in every country around the world, it represents national pride, historic figures and events as diverse as the pieces of paper themselves. It is money.

What makes a simple piece of paper so important to so many individuals is what will be explored in this paper. Slowly peeling back the layers that go into the creation, production and security of these documents, I discovered common themes and best practices. Each with their own distinct styles, more countries share concepts than don’t.

As many successful businesses know, effective branding and implementation of their brand is key to their success. All countries have a brand. People within and outside of the country have an idea in their minds of what the country represents. In the United States you can find this information outlined succinctly in our Constitution. It is important to also be aware of the history of paper currency - to understand where it came from, why it was needed, and how it was used as a communication tool. Great stories and statements have been made on early currencies, many of these stories remain on notes throughout the world.

From color-shifting inks to microprinting, printing currency is a highly sophisticated process. It is more than just laying ink down on paper. Many modern techniques are pushed to their limits to insure that currency has a unique look and feel as compared to any other printed document. Even the traditional papermaking processes are tested when producing the new media for currency.

A very common element that currencies throughout the world share is the protection of their currency from counterfeiters. Many of the processes, design choices, and methods have all been fine tuned and altered to ensure that the document is nearly impossible to easily duplicate. The United States Treasury sums it up quite succinctly with their motto “Safer. Smarter. More Secure.”

Qualitative research used books, various articles, and websites for branding, history, production, printing, and counterfeiting topics. Quantitative research, in the form of actual collected currencies, lead to the overall design survey. Together the research was used to discover the mysteries behind and within currency. The results of this research shines the light on a subject often taken for granted. In the end, an understanding of building a better, perhaps more secure, note will be uncovered.

To read Richard Zeid’s full thesis please download:
MONEY: The Branding of a Country through the Design of its Currency [PDF 815 Kb]