(Archived Content)
WASHINGTON – In an op-ed published in today’s edition of USA Today, Treasurer of the United States Rosie Rios discusses Secretary Lew’s historic announcement to feature a woman on the $10 bill.
Read the piece online.
The text of the piece follows:
New $10 bill honors past, looks to future
By Rosie Rios
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew's announcement that the $10 bill will feature a woman was a historic moment for our country. But some have asked, why not the 20?
The schedule for redesign is based on a number of factors — most notably how secure a note is from counterfeiters, and also things like production volume and how much a bill is used. Based on these factors, we announced in 2013 that the 10 was next up for redesign.
The new 10 is set to be unveiled by 2020, the 100th anniversary of passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. We were not about to let this historic opportunity to feature a woman on our currency pass us by.
Since 2013, we've been exploring a number of exciting options to feature a notable woman on the $10 note. As Secretary Lew said last week, one option we've been researching is co-circulation of two newly designed bills — one bill with Alexander Hamilton's portrait and one bill with a woman's portrait. And as we look to continue redesigning the next generation of currency, we'll also explore new and creative ways to update the 20 and other denominations.
Back in 1928, Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon put Hamilton on the 10, establishing the 10 as a bill that celebrates visionary Americans. Hamilton was a military commander during the Revolution, an abolitionist long before the Civil War, the author of more than two-thirds of The Federalist Papers, and the driving force behind the ratification of our Constitution.
Hamilton laid the groundwork for America's long-term prosperity and left an enduring mark on our nation's history. Hamilton was second to none in believing that America should be an inclusive democracy. That is why we will make sure that his image will remain a part of the $10 note.
Our currency — and the images of great leaders and symbols — has long been a way to honor our past and express our values. Our new $10 bill will convey something powerful, here at home and abroad. It will deliver the message that our nation is an inclusive democracy, where opportunity, justice and equality are not limited to a few, but available to all.
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