An Australian artist, Aaron Tyler, is making waves with his wonderfully depicted banknote art that portrays modern Australian culture on the country’s currency.

With depictions of familiar, famous faces like Steve Irwin, Shane Warne, and popular children’s group, the Wiggles, on different banknotes, Tyler is taking off and the idea is catching on.


Photo Credit: Aaron Tyler

With this reimagining of typical currency sparking both interest and delight, many are wondering if all world currency could use a ‘facelift,” so to speak. In America, this would mean replacing US presidents with other prominent people from history as well as the inevitable celebrities that so conquer our culture.

Seem a little far off? Well, talks are already in the works of changing some of the faces on current American currency.

Why the Change?

Although Aaron Tyler’s reimagined Australian currency is part of a project known as “Straya Cash,” the sentiment that a change in how our currency looks has resonated with many people.

Recently, a poll voted Harriet Tubman as the ideal candidate to be the newest face on the American $20 bill. Americans are beginning to notice that American currency is, as USA Today writer Dawn Dugle puts it, “very old and very white.” After a call for more women and, possibly, more modern culture, to be on America’s money, some are wondering who and what else may soon be gracing US banknotes.

While Susan B. Anthony and Sacagawea were featured on, let’s be honest, rarely used dollar coins, most agree that placing prominent females throughout history on US currency is something that should have happened a long time ago.

How to Make It Happen

Some may think that it will take Congress or the President himself to bring about this change, however, it’s much simpler than that. In fact, only the Secretary of the Treasury is needed to make the change. After the public expressed interest in a change, the ball began rolling. The current Secretary of Treasury is Jack Lew, a man appointed by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate in 2013. With his say so, a swift change could come in who we see on American banknotes.

With this latest news, people have begun reimagining the $20 bill with their ideal candidates for who should be on the note. Some of the most popular picks have been Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Sally Ride, and even some pop culture icons such as Oprah, Beyoncé, and Betty White.

How soon this change will come, if it comes, remains to be seen. However, one thing is certain: the American people are clamoring for a historical change and they now have the means and the drive to make it happen.

Will we be seeing more women on American currency anytime soon? Will the world follow Aaron Tyler’s creativity and look for ways to change international banknotes as well? It’s all possible!

For now, Americans are expressing their concern and their ideas to the President with the hashtag #DearMrPresident.

Banknote World is dedicated to educating people about the exciting world of international currency. Whether you are looking for information for a report or project, want to become a banknote collector, or you want to find out the different history of various banknotes before committing to changing them completely, Banknote World is the right place to visit and learn.

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