The announcement of the new face of the 10-dollar bill has been delayed, according to a Treasury statement from late Friday. The statement cited an unprecedented amount of public engagement as the cause for the delay; the extra time will allow the department to “carefully review and consider a range of options.”
In mid-June, the Obama administration first announced that a woman would replace Alexander Hamilton on the 10-dollar bill.
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew’s decision was to be revealed at the end of this year, but is now pushed back to sometime in 2016.
Over the last six months, the Treasury has received considerable public input with 1.5 million interactions by early August. The Treasury’s New 10 website displays suggestions sent over social media using #TheNewTen.
The female candidate is not the only debated topic: many, including former Federal Reserve Chairperson Ben Bernanke, have expressed reservations about removing Hamilton, a Founding Father and the first Secretary of the Treasury. A popular suggestion is instead replacing Andrew Jackson, who is currently on the 20-dollar bill. Secretary Lew has said that Hamilton will remain part of the note, but he didn’t specify how.
While the 10-dollar bill will be the first to be redesigned, the other bills will be as well.
“The next generation of currency, starting with the new $10 note, will include various design features that celebrate democracy,” explains the Treasury’s New 10 website.
These features will also protect against counterfeiters.
The Treasury plans to unveil the new bill in 2020 for the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.