Canadian Banknotes and US Banknote Design

Let's remember that time when Canadian banknotes almost changed US banknote design.

In 1954, Canada released the Canadian Landscape Series (see photo). Following on the 1937 series, each denomination featured a different color. However, this new series, combined with the US visit of the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth had an impact on how Americans thought about their money.

In the late 1950s, there were discussions in the US about following the Canadian lead and adding color to US dollar notes according to denomination. This made sense to many people, including Congresswoman Kathryn Granahan who pushed for the change in Congress.

The cause was taken up in 1960 by US Treasurer Elizabeth Smith. However, officers in the Kennedy administration disliked the idea with some saying the addition of color would cause public confusion and aid counterfeiting. So, the project was ended.

To a certain extent, the US has finally caught up with its northern neighbor as US banknotes now have subtle colors that match a certain denomination. But, it could have happened much earlier.