In last week's issue I discussed the Dollar ReDe$ign project, where artists were asked to render prototypes for revised U.S. coin and currency designs. Predictably, images from the project have floated around the web with and without attribution, causing some people to wonder if these are official designs, which of course they are not.

This week a reader wrote to the Snopes.com rumor-busting web site:

Attached were images of four notes, including:

The notes were all Michael Tyznik's U.S. currency designs created for the Dollar ReDe$ign project. Snopes quickly (and correctly) pronounced the rumor FALSE. They wrote:

I really like Tyznik's currency designs. They're clean and balanced, classical in style yet with a modern flavor. I like the focus on architectural monuments - these are beautiful, timeless and symbolic of U.S. history and ideals.

His notes remind me of the highly collected 1896 Educational Series notes. Tyznik put a lot of thought into these, including anticounterfeiting features and assistance for the blind. I think his concepts would be a fine starting point for any future redesign of actual U.S. currency.

To read the complete Snopes article, see:Currency Exchange(www.snopes.com/politics/business/newcurrency.asp)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:THE DOLLAR REDE$IGN PROJECT, 2009(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v12n31a29.html)