Why do banknotes show people and images?
Short answer
Images can make banknotes easier to recognize, express a country’s history or culture, and make counterfeiting more difficult. The people and images chosen vary by country and issuing authority.
How it works
Different colors, portraits, buildings, plants, or animals can help people tell denominations apart. Portraits can also be useful as a security feature because the human eye is sensitive to small changes in a face.
Banknotes may combine their images with watermarks, fine lines, holograms, and special inks. These features are part of the design and can help people or machines check whether a note is genuine.
Key point
Not every country puts people on its banknotes. Some use animals, plants, buildings, or abstract patterns instead. Images are one way for a banknote to serve practical and cultural purposes at the same time.