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Theodore Review publishes analytical essays that explore the interplay between history, policy, culture, and material artifacts. This section highlights student-led research that brings academic rigor to contemporary and historical questions.
Time and space mirror of US paper currency design and denomination
——The Monetary Narrative of Socioeconomic Development
Author： The author of this article does not want to display it on this platform for privacy reasons.
Volume I， Issue 1
ID：TRAE0102
Key Words:
Sovereignty; Visual Culture; Semiotics; Economic reform
Abstract
This paper examines the historical evolution of the design and denomination of U.S. paper currency from 1690 to 2025, analyzing how shifts in monetary form reflect broader patterns in the nation's socioeconomic development. From colonial credit notes to contemporary dollars, this study explores the imagery, textual elements, anti-counterfeiting technologies, and denomination structures of U.S. banknotes across various periods. The paper argues that currency functions as both a symbolic "national business card" and a practical economic tool, closely intertwined with political transformation, economic policy, and cultural identity.
Editor Note
Editor Note
This article situates U.S. banknote design within a long arc of political and economic transformation, illustrating how currency functions simultaneously as a tool of transaction and a symbolic register of national identity. By tracing shifts in imagery, denomination logic, and technological change, the author connects visual design to broader narratives of American governance and socioeconomic development. As part of Theodore Review’s focus on material culture and statecraft, this piece highlights how money, as an everyday object, mirrors the evolving priorities and power structures of the nation.
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