Catalog
5 Dollars Federal Reserve Note, colored
| Issuer | Federal Reserve System |
|---|---|
| Year | 2006-2021 |
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| Currency | Dollar (1785-date) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THIS NOTE IS LEGAL TENDER FOR ALL DEBTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FIVE DOLLARS |
| Reverse description | Intaglio vignette of the Lincoln Memorial rendered in fine engraved detail at center, set against a clouded sky with the motto 'IN GOD WE TRUST' above in bold letterpress. A large purple numeral '5' occupies the lower right corner, while a cluster of small yellow '05' microprinted numerals arranged in a star constellation pattern appears to the upper right as an anti-counterfeiting device; large green '5' numerals are printed in each corner. |
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| Comments |
The 2008 redesign of the $5 note was the last of the modern U.S. currency series to receive a full color overhaul, trailing the $20 (2003), $50 (2004), and $100 (2013) by years. The Federal Reserve's hesitation stemmed partly from documented counterfeiting levels — the $5 was counterfeited far less frequently than higher denominations, making the cost-benefit case for a redesign harder to justify politically.
The security thread in this series is embedded with the text "USA FIVE" and glows blue under ultraviolet light — a specific detail worth noting because the thread color is denomination-unique, part of a deliberate Treasury effort to prevent thread transplanting from lower to higher notes.