With the recently announced and already sold out $2 Dallas note, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) has sent out availability notices of the upcoming 2008 Cleveland $2 Single Notes for June 2, 2008.

Notes in these series typically sellout within hours. With the $2 Dallas BEP note, the BEP threw in an extra hiccup when their online ordering system went down for the day.

With an already fast-paced selling series, the inability to order notes online frustrated collectors further, as some could not get through phone lines. Planning is a must to purchase notes from this series. And, unfortunately, sometimes that is not enough. A touch of luck is helpful.

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The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) has announced that the new 2008 Dallas $2 Single Notes are available today, May 12, 2008.

The Dallas banknotes are the fifth $2 collector bill released in 2008. The Atlanta $2 single notes were first off printing presses in January followed by the New York $2 notes in February, the San Francisco $2 notes in March and the Chicago $2 notes in April.

Interested collectors should purchase early since previous $2 notes sold out almost within hours of their availability.

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The United States Mint has announced the upcoming arrival of new Presidential $1 dollar coin products in May.

For some collectors, the announced offerings may come as a bit of a surprise since the Mint is pushing out an additional product as well as the next scheduled coin honoring U.S. Presidents.

They have, in fact, extended their Presidential product line and are spotlighting already released coins in new ways.

Presidential $1 Coin Historical Signature Set™

The U.S. Mint had somewhat quietly released a new collection in April called the Presidential $1 Coin Historical Signature Set. It featured George Washington.

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The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) has released their April 2008 banknote production figures. The BEP produced 709,120,000 notes that were worth a total of $13,532,800,000.

April figures show a slight decease in volume by nearly 75,000 notes compared to March banknote figures, but the total value produced is almost identical. Also similar was the production of notes in $1, $5, $10 and $100 denominations and the need to print Star notes. No $20’s were reportedly produced.

For the monthly comparisons by total weight of banknotes made:

• February came in at 1,432,122 lbs or 649,600 kilograms,
• March notes weighed at 1,728,446,180 lbs or 784,010 kilograms,
• And April banknotes weighted 1,563,342 lbs or 709,120 kilograms.

Spread across the 30 days in April and counting weekends and holidays, the BEP averaged slightly over 23.9 million notes per day with a total face value of approximately $451 million. Read the rest of this article »

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) has announced First Day 2008 Chicago $2 Single Notes will become available on April 21, 2008 at 8:00 a.m. (DST).

The Chicago note will be the fourth $2 collector bill released in 2008. The Atlanta $2 single notes were first off the printing presses in January followed by the New York $2 notes in February and the San Francisco $2 notes in March.

Each of the previous notes were sold out almost within hours of their availability.

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The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) produced 784,010,000 U.S. banknotes in March of 2008 worth a total of $13,501,800,000.

March figures reflect a volume increase compared to the total notes printed in February. However, the total value is slightly lower. In further March to February comparisons, for whatever they may be worth, the BEP reported zero $20s printed while doubling the amount of $5s produced.

There chart below also shows March had a fair share of Star notes.

For the final comparison and perhaps the most interesting, the physical weight of all the banknotes produced in February was 1,432,122 lbs or 649,600 kilograms. March notes weighed in at 1,728,446,180 lbs or 784,010 kilograms.

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The newly redesigned $5 bill entered circulation March 13, 2008. While it will take time for everyone to receive their first $5, those that have seen it love it. Well, that’s what the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is saying at least.

Based on their latest video showing consumer reactions to the $5, it’s a smash-hit.

For a new note that is promoted as being “safer, smarter and more secure,” building public acceptance and knowledge for the $5 is an absolute must. Hundreds of millions of the new notes will pass through people’s hands each year (1.4 billion $5s were produced in 2007). Reducing confusion during money transactions is better for everyone.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The first new $5 bill was issued by the Federal Reserve today during a commemorative transaction at President Lincoln’s Cottage at the Soldiers’ Home in Washington, D.C., a historic site used by the former president as a White House summer retreat.

Officials from the Federal Reserve Board, U.S. Treasury, Bureau of Engraving and Printing and U.S. Secret Service ushered the new $5 bill into circulation at the Lincoln Cottage gift shop.

Michael Lambert, Assistant Director, Division of Reserve Bank Operations and Payment Systems at the Federal Reserve Board, spent the first new $5 bill on a book of President Lincoln’s speeches. President Lincoln’s portrait continues to be featured on this redesign of the $5 bill.

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The first new redesigned Lincoln $5 bills will start arriving in banks on March 13. On the same day, the very first $5 note will be spent in the gift shop of President Lincoln’s Cottage at the Soldiers’ Home in Washington, D.C.

Back in September of 2007, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) for the first time ever digitally unveiled the new bill redesign.

It includes two new watermarks, an enhanced security thread and other security features that promises to make the bill “safer, smarter and more secure”.

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The First Day San Francisco 2008 $2 Single Note is now available through the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP). This is the third note in the 2008 series to be offered.

The Atlanta $2 single notes were first off the printing presses and were sold in January of 2008. The New York $2 notes were second and went on sale February 25. Both sold out extremely fast.

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