Bureau of Engraving and Printing facts for kids
Seal of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | August 29, 1862 |
| Headquarters | 300 14th St SW Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Employees | 2,169 (2006) |
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| Parent agency | Department of the Treasury |
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is a special government agency in the United States Department of the Treasury. Its main job is to design and print important security documents for the U.S. government. The most famous thing they make is Federal Reserve Notes, which are the paper money we use every day.
Besides paper money, the BEP also creates other important items. These include government bonds, special certificates for military awards, invitations, and different types of identification cards. The BEP is one of two U.S. agencies that make currency; the other is the United States Mint, which makes coins. With offices in Washington, D.C., and Fort Worth, Texas, the BEP is the biggest producer of government security documents in the U.S..
Contents
History of the BEP
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing started during the American Civil War. In 1861, the U.S. government needed money to pay for the war. There wasn't enough coin, so Congress allowed the government to print paper money. These first paper notes were like government "IOUs" and were called "Demand Notes."
At first, a private company printed these notes. Then, dozens of government clerks signed them, and many workers cut and trimmed them by hand. In 1862, Congress decided that the Treasury Department should print its own money. They made sure the money had special designs to prevent fake copies.
For many years, the currency printing work at the Treasury didn't have an official name. People called it the "Printing Bureau" or "Small Note Room." It wasn't until 1874 that "Bureau of Engraving and Printing" became its official name. Congress then set aside money specifically for the BEP's work.
From its early days, the BEP printed more than just money. In 1864, they started making passports for the State Department and money orders for the Post Office. Today, passports are printed by a different agency. The BEP also printed government debt papers, like bonds. In 1894, the BEP began printing postage stamps. For almost 100 years, the BEP was the only place that printed U.S. postage stamps.
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The BEP building in Washington, D.C.
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The 15th Street SW entrance to the BEP in Washington, D.C.
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The 13th Street SW entrance to the BEP Annex in Washington, D.C.
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The BEP's Fort Worth location, which offers visitor tours.
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How Money and Stamps are Made
Making Postage Stamps
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing officially started printing postage stamps for the U.S. government in July 1894. The first stamps they made went on sale on July 18, 1894. By the end of that first year, the BEP had printed over 2.1 billion stamps! In 2005, the United States Postal Service started using private companies to print stamps. This ended 111 years of stamp production by the BEP.
Making Paper Money
Over time, the BEP improved how it printed money. In 1918, during World War I, they needed to print a lot more money. So, they increased the size of their printing plates from four notes per sheet to eight notes per sheet.
In 1929, U.S. paper money was redesigned for the first time since 1861. The new money was smaller and had a standard design. Because the notes were smaller, the BEP could print 12 notes on each sheet instead of eight. This change helped save paper and made it harder to counterfeit the money.
Even more notes could be printed on a sheet starting in 1952. This was thanks to new inks that dried faster. These new inks meant that sheets didn't need special tissues between them to stop ink from smudging. It also helped keep the paper from getting distorted during printing.
With these improvements, the BEP could print 18 notes on a sheet in 1952. Five years later, in 1957, they started using a special printing method called "dry intaglio." This method uses unique paper and inks, allowing them to print 32 notes on each sheet! Since 1968, all U.S. currency has been printed using this dry intaglio process.
In this process, detailed designs are carved onto steel plates. Ink is put on the plate, then wiped clean, leaving ink only in the carved lines. The paper is pressed very hard onto the plate, picking up the ink from the lines. Both the front and back of the money are printed this way, with the backs printed first. After that, the Treasury Seals and serial numbers are added.
In 2013, the BEP printed about 6.6 billion notes. Each note cost about 10 cents to make.
BEP Locations
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing has two main locations: one in Washington, D.C., and another in Fort Worth, Texas.
Washington, D.C. Location
The Washington facility has two buildings next to each other. The main building was built in 1914. It has a classic neoclassical style with a steel frame, concrete, and Indiana limestone. The front of the building faces the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial. It has stone columns along its 505-foot length. This building is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
In 1938, an annex building was added to the Washington, D.C., facility. This was to make room for more workers and more production. The annex is made of reinforced concrete with a limestone exterior.
The Washington, D.C., location offers free 30-minute guided tours. On these tours, you can see the different steps of how currency is made. Tours are available Monday through Friday, but the Bureau is closed on federal holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.
Fort Worth, Texas Location
In 1987, construction began on a second BEP facility in Fort Worth, Texas. This new location helped meet the growing demand for money. It also served as a backup in case of emergencies in the Washington, D.C., area. Plus, it helped save money on transporting currency to Federal Reserve banks in the western U.S.
Currency production started in Fort Worth in December 1990. The official opening was on April 26, 1991. Any money printed in Fort Worth has a small "FW" on it, usually to the left of the bill's face plate number.
Future Locations
On April 27, 2022, it was announced that the BEP plans to move its Washington, D.C. operations to Beltsville, MD. This new facility will be built on land transferred from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is expected to be finished in early 2027.
BEP Police
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing has its own police department. This police force protects BEP workers and buildings. The BEP Police make sure federal and local laws are followed. In 2004, there were 234 police officers working for the BEP.
See also
- US Treasury specimen book
- Charles R. Chickering, a chief stamp designer for the BEP
- Federal Reserve System
- United States Mint Police
