The De La Rue media relations department scored a coup of sorts on Saturday, Aug. 4, with a feature on the CBS This Morning news program. The segment led with the revelation that, unlike the United States, most countries do not design or print their own bank notes. 

It proceeded to give De La Rue three minutes and 37 seconds of free publicity, resulting in a good amount of interesting information that the general public, and even some collectors, would not know.

For instance: De La Rue says it has designed more than one-third of the world’s currency. The importance of cash is reflected in the fact that 30 percent of the world’s adults do not have bank accounts. 

This Week in Coin World: Lesher Referendum dollars and ‘early-date’ cents Features on Lesher Referendum dollars and “early-date” Indian Head cents, and tips on grading Indian Head 5-cent coins, are exclusive to the September monthly issue.

The company has a group of hackers on staff whose job is to try to counterfeit the designs, security devices and other elements that De La Rue has created to thwart counterfeiters. 

The firm recognizes both history and current events in its projects, as it did for South Africa’s Nelson Mandela birth centennial issue. It shows concerns about the environment and global warming, as in a bank note project for the Maldives. 

It seems especially proud about its work on behalf of Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, when it designed new notes without his portrait and printed them in record time. 

It also called attention to its non-legal tender Star Wars: The Last Jedi notes that were issued to raise money for charity. 

Connect with Coin World:  

Sign up for our free eNewsletter
Like us on Facebook  
Follow us on Twitter