Designing Gold Currency: Limited Editions and Legal Tender
This collection showcases my role in concept, illustration, photo-editing, and layout design of intricately detailed gold bills. These notes were created using proprietary technology and were developed for both international legal tender and domestic collectible release.
Released as a limited-edition collectible for the World Money Fair
in Berlin, Germany, this bill highlights iconic symbols of the
capital through detailed, layered design.
A statue of
Minerva—goddess of wisdom and strategy—found at the landmark of
the Brandenburg Gate, and the Berlin skyline rising behind her
with the Fernsehturm tower as a focal point, anchors the horizon,
reinforcing the sense of place and cultural importance.
The
design incorporates a silhouette of a bear drawn from the city
flag, twelve variable tone circles on the left side—represent the
boroughs of the city. Textures, gradients, and micro-patterns
founds throughout add depth and contrast, and act as embedded
security elements.
Designed for collectors, this bill
combines historical symbolism with contemporary detail. Intricate
linework, custom type, and careful layering make this bill
visually rich and techincally precise—an intentional balance of
concept, security, and storytelling.
This limited-edition collectible series celebrates some of the
most majestic wildlife found in North America. Each note is
printed on a 24k gold substrate and was designed to appeal to
collectors while adhering to precise production requirements.
I
was responsible for concept, color palettes, image editing and
manipulation, layout, pattern creation, security development, and
final design. This series was designed with a flexible visual
system allowing for scalability across multiple animals and
denominations while remaining production ready.
Each
bill features a different species, including the American Bison,
North American Brown Bear, Mountain Lion, Gray Wolf, and Bald
Eagle. Each animal is highlighted through carefully composed
imagery and detailing. Custom security patterning, micro-text,
color palettes, and variable visual elements were adapted for each
design.
This bill was developed as official legal tender for the Republic
of Gabon. This project required cultural sensitivity, accuracy in
national symbolism, and regulatory approvals at multiple
stages.
I led the concept and design of this legal
tender's visual language, including iconography, layout,
ornamental embellishments, image editing, color theme, security
elements, and final production design.
Design elements
include Gabon's national coat of arms, symbolism of native
flora, layered geometric motifs reflecting regional textiles and
cultural forms, and various color treatments inspired by the
country's landscape, all while maintaining the strict
structure required for official currency.
My work
balanced complex cultural aesthetics with strict formatting and
usability standards, with a focus on translating ecological
concepts into a secure and visually impactful final design that
resonates with collectors and those interested in regional
heritage.
Legal tender commemorating the endemic Cuckoo Catfish and
geography of Tanzania and the Lake Tanganyika region.
Created
as official legal tender, this bill highlights the ecological and
geographic significance of Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania. The design
draws on both the regional symbolism and the natural forms
associated with the lake itself.
My role included
thematic ideation, visual development, cultural research, security
patterning and element design, image manipulation and editing,
layout, and final production design. I focused on translating the
ecological concepts into a secure and visually impactful final
design that will resonate with collectors and those interested in
regional heritage.
This project required the
integration of the Cuckoo Catfish, an endemic species of Lake
Tanganyika, complex patterning systems drawn from culturally
significant patterns and materials, Tanzanian iconography, and
edge-to-edge security printing capabilities. These diverse
elements create a cohesive final design honoring the lake's
ecology and the region's cultural identity.
These projects reflect my ability to work within highly detailed systems, balancing visual impact, regulatory requirements, cultural sensitivity, and production limitations. Whether for a national bank or intended as a consumer collectible, the aim was to make gold-backed design that was meaningful, precise, and accessible.
Jake Sepulveda
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