Dollar Bills and blind people

[milly143]

I believe I am right in saying American Dollar bills are all the same size. If this is the case, how does a blind person differentiate the amount?

[Berkshirelad]

AIUI, the denomination is embossed.

[McMouse]

It's not just dollar bills, all US bank notes are the same size. Blind people cannot differentiate and have to rely on the honesty of sighted people. For practical purposes blind people often fold different denominations in specific ways and keep them in different parts of their wallet.

[heathfield]

In a court judgement, the US Treasury was told to produce notes that the blind or visually impaired could distinguish. The judge ruled that if other countries could do it, so could the US. Not quite, it seems. In printing $110 billion worth of $100 bills to the new design, around 30% of them were found to be flawed !!

[VHG]

>>>It's not just dollar bills, all US bank notes are the same size

That is what the poster meant. When they said "Dollar Bills" I think they meant all US bank notes.

I have to say when I have been in the US it is very easy to give a 50 dollar or 100 dollar bill when you meant to give a 1 dollar or 5 dollar bill.

Strange thing is they have a 1 dollar coin, but nobody likes them and nobody uses them.

[237SJ]

For some reason I though the new ones had brail on them but that must be some other country`s currency. I`ve just fished out a 1 dollar bill from upstairs and there`s no embossing or anything else on it that could differentiate it.

[milly143]

Sorry, yes I meant all US bank notes. I should have worded that a little better.

That's quite shocking really, they just have to rely on the honesty of other people.

[Clanad]

In a store a few weeks ago, a blind erson was paying for his purchase and held up a $20 bill and asked aloud "This is a twenty, right?" At least 10 people around him answered that it was. I noted that his change included at least three bills... a couple of $1 bills and perhaps a $5 bill. It occurred to me (with my lighting fast brain) that he knew about what his change should be and that the clerk wasn't likely to give him an extra $5 or $10 in place of any of the $1's he knew should be there.
Even more ironic however, is the fact that all of he drive-up ATM's here have Braille script on the face of the machine... go figure...

[ChuckFickens]

You might reverse through them with a blind passenger?

[R1Geezer]

Yes Clanad, probably urban myth but I heard a Blind Guy passed the driving test in one of the states!

[Old_Geezer]

They probably see no financial benefit making special non-braille ones for drive-ins. Besides, not that I know, but doesn't the term 'blind' cover a multitude of sight problems ? Might it be possible to be registered blind and yet have enough vision to drive a vehicle ? Just wondering.

[gingejbee]

From what I remember, are they also the same colour - green? Even sighted people need to check carefully before handing them over.

[Clanad]

The bills, beginning about 3 years ago with the $20 have been undergoing a complete facelift in the area of coloration. while still retaining some of the older "green" (greenbacks, dontcha know?) they now have "peach" stripes intemixed. This is supposed to firmly place a look of chagrin on the faces of counterfeiters...