Personalised banknotes by decentralising the mint. Cash machines would have a little camera in them and would be able to print the bank notes on the fly, as required, with the face of the money requiring individual printed on them, instead of some monarch, slave owner, or any other contentious historical figure. Larger notes could be digitally altered to give the owner's visage a big grin, if say to be spent on something nice, or a big frown if paying bills, or debts.

This could also allow you to customise your banknote in other ways, by adding a favourite quote, or fact. Imagine the thrill of one day being given a note in change in say; a pub, and finding its one of yours from a few months ago. Okay, its not that thrilling, but I think it'd be kind of cool.

This is, of course, fairly silly, but maybe there could be just one of these machines at the royal mint (or national mint of your choice all you republic dwellers), and it could produce customisable (but still legal tender) banknotes in this way, as a souvenir of a visit.

Thanks to [my face your] for prompting me to post this as a separate idea (see link).
-- Zircon, Jan 21 2003

Idea originally appeared in an anno here http://www.halfbake...LK_20on_20the_20$20
[Zircon, Oct 17 2004]

Cash Counter http://www.delarue....t/products/5000.asp
High volume cash counter with destruct option [oneoffdave, Oct 17 2004]

Dubya Dollars http://news.bbc.co....mericas/1147246.stm
Fake $200 bill accepted as per Steve's JohnDollars. [reap, Oct 17 2004]

Boggs http://www.amazon.c...103-3388658-3472641
I read this book a while back... [migennes, Oct 17 2004]

Banknote production http://www.bankofen...Links/setframe.html
[DrBob, Oct 17 2004]

Printing ATM http://www.halfbake...ATM_20-_20No_20Cash
This is very similar [croissantz, Oct 17 2004]

The only downside I can see of this is that it will make controlling the money supply almost impossible for central government. One way round this is for the cash counting machines at central banks and bulk banking branches to destroy notes to the value of those issued. Bulk cash counters are available with secure destruct options but cost around £50k-£100k.
-- oneoffdave, Jan 21 2003


I found a site that claimed to offer this service, however they only exist in Google's cache. Presumably they were taken down? Or maybe business was bad.

Anyway, the front page blurb said, "Do you want your face, your child's face, or even your pet's face on a Real Mint Uncirculated US One Dollar Bill? Just send us the photo(s), and we will put your image on a brand new One Dollar Bill."
-- waugsqueke, Jan 21 2003


a foil type shiny surface which reflects your face as you look into it might fool you for the short time the note is in your possession.
-- po, Jan 21 2003


Whenever I have checked a banknote or handed over a banknote and had it checked, it is only the front that has been examined for the tell-tale signs of forgery. So instead of replacing the picture of the monarch/president/Mary Slessor and with it the familiar positioning of the check-spots, place the image on the reverse could be the one altered. A degree of uniformity is preserved without resultant loss of personalisation.

You will be invoiced for the croissants later, Zircon.
-- my face your, Jan 21 2003


Yeah, well, you're cut is currently just under half of one croissant. ah well, can't please all the bakers all the time eh?
-- Zircon, Jan 21 2003


Maybe notes could come from the mint with a blank oval but all security features present as normal (other engravings would probably be needed to replace the portrait). The machine needs just add a face, using an ink that can be chemically removed without damaging the bill. It might wipe the bills it's stocked with just before printing the new portrait (maybe giving them a bit of a wash at the same time). Maybe you should be able to get blanks and draw your own portraits with crayons, as long as you don't go outside the lines.

Of course, there'd always be jokers who'd hold pictures of Andrew Jackson up to the camera anyway.

(Note that controlling the money supply wouldn't necessarily be a problem with the original idea. In the past, private banks were allowed to print currency, and in the UK some still are, under the supervision of the central bank. And cash makes up a very small proportion of the money in an economy anyway. Destroying old bills would be a pain, though; a partial wipe-and-reprint is nicer there.)
-- Monkfish, Jan 21 2003


I do rather like this idea. A bit of whitespace on the note for a passport-type photo wouldn't cause any problems with currency control and adapting the hole in the wall to have a camera and a printer shouldn't be a huge technological leap. The only problem that I can think of is with the ink. Banknotes are pretty thin so using ordinary printer ink might damage them. I'm no expert on banknotes though so explaining the technicalities of banknote ink I leave to others. Yaay!
-- DrBob, Jan 21 2003


Yikes, [Steve], I'm not sure you want to advertise that.
-- bristolz, Jan 21 2003


<flash forward> Could put an interesting twist on the valuation of currency.

Merchant: “There’s no way you’re gettin' this rare Winona Ryder $1 bill as change for nuthin’. You want it, it’s going to cost you an extra 9 of ‘them there’ Barbara Streisands.”

Customer: “How about 2 Dudley Moores and a Britney Spears”? </flash forward>
-- Shz, Jan 21 2003


Steve: At least you stopped them from accepting it. In Kentucky last year, a fake $200 bill was accepted for a $2 purchase and $198 change was given.... [link] for full article.
-- reap, Jan 21 2003


Sending out dollars with your (or a cartoon) face in place of Abe is an established marketing tool - I've received several. They are actually legitimate new bills with a peelable sticker placed over the central picture.

Not sure how legal they are (may still count as defacing currency), and I can't find a site offering the service, which seems odd.
-- DrCurry, Jan 21 2003


Zircon immitation is the most sincere form of flattery.
-- xnihilo, Jan 23 2003



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