PLN#7

"US currency reimagined to celebrate ideas, not the dead." by Cassandra Khaw illustrates Travis Purrington's new idea for United States paper money through images and facts. Travis Purrington has redesigned the 5, 10, 20, 50,and 100 dollar notes of the US treasury. As Cassandra explains Travis "draws inspiration from the Swiss Franc, and was conceptualized to showcase banknotes that placed greater emphasis on the accomplishments of the living, rather than 'codifying myth or legend.'"(Khaw para2) The images in the article are intriguing with both the obverse (front) and the reverse (back) of each of the aforementioned notes shown in detail.

"US currency reimagined to celebrate ideas, not the dead." by Cassand Khaw fails to see the importance of the image that U.S. notes carry today, because of the lack of comparison between Purrington's money and U.S. currency today. Travis Purrington's new image of the US's money is stunning indeed, however, he and the author fail to see the issue with completely making over United States monetary notes. The first things that come to mind with new money are small changes on coins such as state parks quarters that are being minted today or the shield on the penny instead of the Lincoln memorial. Those changes were minute and the general image of the quarters and pennies were unchanged. Travis's reimagined notes are completely different from the current notes in not only image, but color and size as well according to the photos presented. The next issue with these new bills is that the image of the country's founding fathers is one of the best ways to remember them. It honors them because they are the men who made this country what it is today. This goes back to ancient Rome where they put the emperor's face on their money. In Khaws article "Purrington says he removed the Founding Fathers from his design as this was a practice Congress had wanted to abolish following the American revolution."(Khaw para2) however if the people did want to change their style of currency they would have asked for congress to. As it goes "if it ain't broke don't fix it," something many believe in. America's monetary system is fine as it is, especially the honoring of it's national founders.