New Five-Dollar Bill Today

The AP reported today on the release of the new color five-dollar bill.

Abraham Lincoln is getting a little color in his cheeks. New $5 bills bearing the gaunt visage of the nation's 16th president—but with some touches of color added—are making their way to banks and cash registers near you.

The bill goes into circulation Thursday. That's when the Federal Reserve, the supplier of the nation's cash, starts shipping the bills to banks, which send them to businesses and eventually into the hands of people in this country and beyond.

Fittingly, the new bill will be spent for the first time on Thursday at the gift shop of President Lincoln's Cottage located on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in northwest Washington.

It's the latest in a series of redesigned notes aimed at foiling phony-money makers, who over the years have grown increasingly sophisticated.

Lincoln, the nation's 16th president, is still on the front and the Lincoln Memorial remains on the back.

The makeover of the $5 bill is similar to changes to $10, $20 and $50 bills.

Next up for a new look: the $100 bill.

I especially like the purple "5" on the back, because purple is one of my favorite colors. And they've offset Lincoln's face from the center, so he won't be at risk of getting his face folded in half all the time. That can be so degrading.

It looks like all that's left after the hundred is good old George Washington, but I'm not sure they're going to bother with him. Is it worth the effort to secure a $1 bill? Probably not. But then it wouldn't be kind to leave Washington as the old, colorless model when everyone else gets the beautiful makeover. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to getting some of these $5 bills soon.