Creating Money

Creating Money

For the first few weeks of enterprise studies, we've been set the assignment of creating banknotes. We had to design two sides of two notes, both containing at least five of the eight characteristics of good currency, these characteristics being; 

• Generally accepted
• Durable
• Divisible
• Stable/consistent
• Transportable
• Scarce (controlled by government and aren't prone to hyperinflation)
• Easily recognisable
• Difficult to Counterfeit

Here are the two notes I made

Once we had designed both of our notes, we then had to make an annotated diagram stating the features of one of our notes, and write a paragraph explaining how our banknotes meet the criteria for good currency.

This is one of the two banknotes that I have created. They are made of a thin type of polypropylene plastic called ‘polymer’, a material that is both difficult to tear and water resistant. Because of this, these notes are both durable and transportable. Both the $200 notes and the $30 notes I have created are easily divisible, as $5, $10, $50, and $100 notes can all be used to add up to $30 and $200. These banknotes also include many security features such as four serial numbers (two on the front and two on the back of each note) and a clear window with an embossed image (on the $200 banknote it is a fantail sitting in a kowhai tree, and on the $30 banknote it’s the last four digits of that particular notes serial number, which in this case are 8, 1, 2, and 3 on one side, and on the other it’s a dog. Purely because dogs are adorable and who wouldn’t want to see a dog every time they open their wallet?), only visible in certain lighting. This window-like feature is also surrounded by lines of microtext on each note. Both notes are created using raised ink, these features making them quite difficult to counterfeit. It is stated on both notes that they are legal tender in New Zealand, and on one of the two notes I created there is the well-known Goldman Sach- sorry, Goldman Stokes logo- along with the founder of Goldman Stokes' himself, Sam Stokes' signature, showing it is made by a “completely legitimate” and “trustworthy” bank, totally not just some guy who enjoys laundering money in his spare time... Making them generally accepted and easily recognisable. As this money is controlled responsibly by the government, there is no hyperinflation, meaning these banknotes stay scarce. And lastly, the value of this money doesn’t vary, it stays the same, making it a stable and consistent currency.

In relation to New Zealand, I included on one note a drawing of Mt Cook/Mt Aoraki on one side, and on the other a silhouette of the skyline of Auckland, along with- as I mentioned before- a fantail sitting in a kowhai tree. On the other note there is a drawing of a kārearea, a falcon native to New Zealand, and on the other side a drawing of the Moeraki boulders.