Using Money When You Can’t See It
Posted on June 28, 2016
How does someone who is visually impaired distinguish a $1 bill from a $5 or a $20? It’s nearly impossible—U.S. paper currency is all the same size, same general design, and has the same texture.
But there’s also no simple fix because people have varying types and degrees of visual impairment.
For Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week, the WatchBlog explores the 3-pronged approach the Treasury Department is taking to make U.S. currency more accessible to the visually impaired.
1. Bigger, brighter, bolder
Treasury’s Bureau of Engraving and Printing is the federal agency responsible for designing and printing paper money.
Starting in 1997, the Bureau added larger numbers to the back of paper currency (except for the $1 and $2 bills). The Bureau added even larger, colored numbers (referred to as "high contrast") to the $5 bill in 2008 and to the $100 bill in 2010.
While these new bills are an improvement, these numbers alone may not be enough to identify the denomination, depending on lighting conditions and the amount of useful vision a visually impaired person has.
2. Tell me about it
In July 2014, the Bureau began giving free currency-reader devices to eligible people. The reader, named the iBill, is a battery-operated device that can identify the denomination of a bill.
For example, the iBill can indicate a $20 bill by saying “twenty” through a speaker or an earpiece, emitting two high-pitched beeps, or vibrating for two long pulses. Or, for a $5 bill, it can say “five,” emit three low-pitched beeps, or vibrate for three short pulses.

(Excerpted from GAO-14-823)
(Excerpted from GAO-14-823)
- Questions on the content of this post? Contact Lori Rectanus at rectanusl@gao.gov.
- Comments on GAO’s WatchBlog? Contact blog@gao.gov.