Studio Brief 02 - Currency designs

I chose to look at the lowest value in these currencies as they are the values that are seen the most. Even though it is a small selection of notes, it highlights the fact that currency design uses very noticeable and very common characteristics to display the nation. In essence the notes are broken down into roughly 10 design components.

The number displaying the notes worth
The image of the figure head on the right side
The bank that circulates the note 
The serial number on the left side
A phrase or motto 
Intricate line designs
A metallic foil 
Crest/symbol of the nation  
A noticeable white space is used to imprint a watermark

And within each one we can see that there is a similar characteristic about them as well. Apart from the British pound, all the notes use a serif font to display the notes value. This use of serif font extends to the whole of the note's copy, creating a more traditional and antiquated look for the bank note. I assume a serif font is preferred because it would be harder to forge compared to sans serif.  
The image of the figure head is of a person that was in power or highly influential in the nations society.
The intricate patterns are made up of lines that are incredibly detailed to prevent forgery. The design of the lines are also meant to act as the "background" of the note design. 
Furthermore, the notes themselves are often made of paper. This is probably due to its  realitvely cheap and easy way for money to be represented and mass produced for the population. However there are some countries that have changed from a paper based currency to plastic. 

Overall a plastic based currency has provided with many advantages over paper. These notes last for 2.5 times longer than paper banknotes when in circulation. They will survive a spin in the washing machine and are hard to tear, eliminating the worry of destroying the money's value. And because of versatility of plastic, a transparent window is included within the notes design which increases its protection against counterfeits. As a result of their increased durability, they end up being cheaper to produce in the long run. The material of the new note is thus another factor to consider when designing. The new material could be designed in terms of its usability or appropriateness to its nation. For example if the country has a unique paper making process of its own that can be represented through its currency which in turn could help increase nationalism.