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This article provides an overview of Benjamin Franklin's multifaceted contributions to colonial America. Franklin was a printer, scientist, inventor, politician, and civic reformer. He established important institutions such as the Library Company of Philadelphia, the American Philosophical Society, and the University of Pennsylvania. While Franklin's achievements were significant, it is important to acknowledge his involvement in the slave trade. The article also explores Franklin's printing career, including his production of various printed materials such as paper money, newspapers, and almanacs. Franklin's printing work had a lasting impact on the development of the printing industry in America. [Extracted from the article]

This article details the processes and challenges involved in manufacturing paper money by the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing and the United States Mint. The bureau prides itself on putting out a superior product. No commonly handled manufactured goods are more painstakingly produced that are the nation's bills and coins. Yet few products are handled with such brutal disregard by consumers. Cases of burned, buried and oil-soaked currency arrives at the bureau for replacement. In many ways, the production of cash is like that of shoes or skis or playing cards. Coins and paper money have design-review committees, physical life spans, sudden shortages and occasional factory seconds. The money business even has its share of marketing fiascos. In other ways, producing money is not a bit like producing playing cards or shoes. In the case of paper money, the distinctive features is its markup. The bureau's facility has high-security system especially in the engraving department to prevent production of counterfeit money. Bank note engravers cut patterns in quarter-inch-thick steel plates using antique, hand-held styluses called gravers. Every image is composed of hand-cut dots, dashes and lines.