Unlike the Secret Service, which has not issued a press release since Dec. 19, although it usually sends out dozens every month, the Federal Reserve Board has felt no impact from the partial government shutdown. 

On Jan. 16, the board announced the launch of its first interactive public smartphone and tablet application. It is targeted at elementary school students, to teach them about the security and design features of Federal Reserve notes. The app is meant to be used with other material in the Fed’s Currency Education Program at www.uscurrency.gov.

Inside Coin World: 1917 and 1936 Lincoln, Doubled Die Obverse cents: Among the columns and features exclusive to the Feb. 11 issue of Coin World is “Coin Values Spotlight,” which this week focuses on two Lincoln, Doubled Die cents.

The app is called “Money Adventure” and is available for download on iPhones and iPads now, and will be ready for Android devices later this year. Once downloaded, it can be used without internet access. Lesson plans in English and Spanish are available for teachers to use with it.

The “note front explorer” shows a virtual $20 note that students can interact with to examine its unique features. The “note back explorer” has a time-traveling game that the Fed says incorporates augmented reality into learning and allows students to follow “Buck the Time-Traveling Dog” on his quest through the historical events depicted on currency reverses.

The Currency Education Program is a Federal Reserve Board initiative that provides users of U.S. currency around the world with access to education, training, and information about American paper money. The board manages the program in cooperation with the Secret Service and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Its aim is to raise awareness about the security and design features of U.S. currency.

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