Students and faculty from the Language and Culture Institute in Fairfax recently toured the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, which develops and produces U.S notes. During the tour, they saw millions of dollars being printed.
Below, some of the students share their thoughts about the field trip.
Adel Alashlem
First, we set off from the institute at 10 a.m. toward the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. After we arrived there, we watched a short movie about that building and what they were doing inside it. Then, the lady who accompanied us explained briefly about dollar history, and she gave us a lot of information about raw materials which made them currency. I was really surprised of information that the dollar made from cotton and linen, not as we thought it made from paper.
Second, we with the lady entered to a first section of the building. In this section, we watched some printing machines, and some employees were putting huge bundles of dollar raw ready to print. The bundles were empty from any pictures except an image eagle and image person, too. Picture of a person different according money type. In any case, the employees were putting money bundles inside printer machines a handy way. After that, they send the bundles that ended a first part of printing to another section.
Finally, we toward to other section. In that section, there were different printer machines that were printing the last part of the money. We saw one of employee to do scan by a handy way of some banknotes were its errors in the printing. The lady said “quantity of the dollar that printed amount 500 million daily”. The authorities were sending this the quantity to banks around the country to compensate damage form old the banknotes. At the end of the trip, we bought some great souvenirs from the shop inside.
To sum up, we all knew the form of banknotes, but we did not know how process were. The trip was interesting for me, and I got a lot of information about the money. I think this trip was useful of all students and professors because they knew how the authorities printed the banknotes especially dollar.
Amirah Alshamrani
Throughout each semester, we in Virginia Tech Language and Cultural Institute go for field trips and explore different places. This Monday our trip was to Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) located in Washington D.C. It was exciting for me to try the metro and go to Smithsonian for the first time since I came to the US.
First, we were introduced to a video clip briefing the history of the bureau. It was first built to finance the civil war in 1862 by Abraham Lincoln. Now, BEP designs, engraves, and prints all U.S. paper currency and some other products like military identification cards. The BEP prints 5 million dollars a day. Then we had a tour through the building to see some parts and machines used for the process with explanation of currency design and production steps by a guide. Lastly we finish it with a souvenir and gifts shop.
Al Waleed Al Musaad
Anonymous student, Level 150
I am going with my professor, and students. Bureau of engraving and printing. We see how to make money. We going in 10:00 and get back 1:00.
We learned of what makes money. I take many nice picture. I am happy because I like educational trips.
I like building design. I hope to go to another enjoyable trip.
Anonymous student, Level 150
We went together the field trip. With students and professors. It was to Bureau of engraving and printing. We saw a lot of the money, and we saw a lot of devices. We learned how to make money. After that we bought for the memories. It was interesting. Thank my school.
