Have you ever taken a moment to look at the money you use? The banknotes in your wallet have a complex story to tell, and every bill carries a history of choices about what should be represented on it. Colors, faces, symbols, and more are all part of the equation, and by looking at them more closely, you can trace how nations make choices and why.
For instance, the most common elements youโll find on banknotes include political leaders, revolutionary heroes, cultural figures, religious symbols, natural landscapes, and even indigenous imagery. Why were these things chosen over others? Why did a bill used to feature one image and then switch to another? Here is a deeper dive into whose story gets told on a countryโs currency.
Why the Art of Currency Is Serious Business
When you receive a banknote, you expect it to be real and functional. How do nations ensure that? First, they make their bills out of durable materials, such as cotton. Then, they incorporate security features such as imprints that are visible only under a blacklight. But no matter which of these functional and security measures a country takes to make its currency robust, its design should work in tandem with them.
For example, consider Australiaโs transparent currency. That is a visual design choice that also serves as a deterrent to counterfeiters, so the unique visual appeal and functionality align. Currency must inspire trust and legitimacy, and the alignment of everything from design to the feel of the banknote in your hand helps to reinforce peopleโs shared identity.
Whose Story Gets Told?
Given that the design is just as important as the physical composition of the bill, how do nations choose what appears on their money? Banknotes are a miniature museum; people see important figures or landmarks every day when they handle money. Thus, many decorative elements incorporate individuals or symbols that the country deems important enough to imprint on the public consciousness. This can foster a sense of identity, but it can also promote narratives.
For example, Queen Elizabeth II appeared on the currency of numerous Commonwealth countries. Her image represented continuity and stability. Compare that to the banknotes in post-apartheid South Africa, where pre-apartheid money featured political leaders tied to the countryโs colonial governments. Division was a core element of the South African identity, but after apartheid, priorities changed. To foster a new sense of unity, the bank notes were redesigned to feature the โBig Fiveโ animals: the lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhino. These animals, devoid of political ties, celebrated unity and tourism.
Times Change, and So Does Money
South Africaโs monetary transition is just one of a host of stories about how the times changed and the currency followed. Post-Soviet states did something similar, removing communist symbols and replacing them with heroes and cultural icons from before the Soviet shift. In an effort to move away from a military conception of national identity, Ireland adopted the likenesses of acclaimed writers James Joyce and W. B. Yeats to emphasize the countryโs culture instead.
Now, as the world continues to change and focus shifts toward the representation of women, ethnic minorities, and indigenous cultures, money is adapting again (though the changes are not always popular). The American proposal to feature Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill, replacing Andrew Jackson, drew mixed reactions. Supporters argued that Tubman, an abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor, deserved recognition for her role in American history, while others felt that removing Jackson, a former president, risked diminishing his place in the national story.
New Zealand has increasingly incorporated the indigenous Mฤori culture on its banknotes, using te reo Mฤori language alongside English and selecting landscapes or species that have deep significance within Mฤori culture.
The Future of Banknote Design and Its Intersection with Identity
As culture and national values continue to shift, banknotes will almost certainly follow. Transformations in technology will allow not just new types of money but also new design options that further broaden the possibilities for telling a nationโs stories. Countries will continue to debate how best to represent themselves in an interconnected world, shaping what residents think of their culture and the brief glimpse others gain of their country through a single piece of paper.
