WASHINGTON (MNI) – The newly designed $100 bill, unveiled in April
along with its advanced anti-counterfeiting technology, won’t be
distributed beginning in February after all, because of a production
problem, the Federal Reserve announced Friday afternoon:

The Federal Reserve Board on Friday announced a delay in the issue
date of the redesigned $100 note. This new design incorporates cutting
edge, anti-counterfeiting technologies and the Federal Reserve imposes
strict quality controls to ensure that users of U.S. currency around the
world receive the highest quality notes.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing manufactures Federal Reserve
notes and has identified a problem with sporadic creasing of the paper
during printing of the new $100 note, which was not apparent during
extensive pre-production testing. As a consequence, the Federal Reserve
will not have sufficient inventories to begin distributing the new $100
notes as planned.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is working to resolve this
problem, and the Federal Reserve Board will announce a new issue date
for the redesigned $100 note as soon as possible. The originally
scheduled issue date was February 10, 2011.

** Market News International Washington Bureau: 202-371-2121 **

[TOPICS: M$U$$$,MMUFE$,MGU$$$,MFU$$$]