FR 3054g

Potential Sample Topics for the
United States Currency Program Surveys
(FR 3054; OMB No. 7100-0332)
Long-form Currency Program Surveys (FR 3054a)
Short-from Currency Program Surveys (FR 3054f)
The FR 3054a and FR 3054f are event-generated and conducted up to ten times per year
to gather data about the perception and needs of users of U.S. currency and to collect information
on specific issues that affect its decision making. The principal value of these surveys is the
flexibility it provides the Federal Reserve System to respond efficiently to the need for data. The
Federal Reserve System cannot predict what specific information will be needed because such
needs are generally non-recurring and time sensitive. Surveys could be administered online or in
person, through qualitative data collection, in-depth interviews, or observations of focus groups.
The topics and questions of interest vary with the focus of each survey. Because the
relevant questions change with each collection, there is no fixed reporting form. For each survey,
the Federal Reserve System prepares questions of specific topical interest. The Federal Reserve
System, in consultation with any relevant parties,1 then determines the relevant target group to
contact. Target respondents for the FR 3054a and FR 3054f are primarily individuals, but
surveys may be deployed to financial institutions, retailers, or law enforcement, and other key
stakeholder entities.
The FR 3054a and FR 3054f may cover the following topics or other topics that are
closely related:
• Demand for currency,
• Demand for $1 coins,
• Demand for transactional coin,
• Market preferences regarding the quality of currency (new versus fit currency);
• Public awareness of, preference for, and reaction to banknote designs and security
features,
• Currency usage patterns and behaviors, or
• Effectiveness and demand for educational information about banknotes.
Currency Quality Sampling Survey (FR 3054b)
The Board works jointly with FedCash Services (FCS) and each Federal Reserve Bank’s
currency department to conduct the FR 3054b once per year, on an ad hoc basis, to collect
information on the quality of currency in circulation. The respondents to the FR 3054b are
depository institutions that have deposit accounts with a Federal Reserve Bank.
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The FR 3054b may cover the following information or closely related topics:
Samples of currency,

These parties may be other relevant federal agencies, contractors, or vendors who may provide valuable insight and
direction to the information collection at hand.

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Quality of banknotes received from commercial customers of depository institutions, or
A comparison of the quality of banknotes processed at Federal Reserve Banks with
banknotes received from commercial customers of depository institutions.

Currency Quality Survey (FR 3054c)
The Board works jointly with FCS to conduct the FR 3054c twice per year to collect
information on the quality of currency in circulation. The respondents to the FR 3054c are
depository institutions that have deposit accounts with a Federal Reserve Bank (once per year)
and banknote equipment manufacturers (BEMs) (once per year). The information collected is
used to determine the opinions of depository institutions on currency quality and assess the needs
for currency quality in the marketplace.
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The FR 3054c covers the following topics:
Opinions on currency quality,
Currency handling practices, or
Uses of currency sorting equipment.

Currency Functionality and Perception Survey (FR 3054d)
The Board may work jointly with the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) and FCS
to conduct the FR 3054d up to five times per year, on an ad hoc basis, to assess the functionality
of banknotes currently in circulation and to gain information from BEMs that would be used as
input in future designs of Federal Reserve notes. The frequency of the survey is determined by
the information needs of BEMs, the Board, FCS, and BEP. The respondents to the FR 3054d are
BEMs, and the information collected is used to determine how their equipment authenticates
currency and how future banknote designs can incorporate more or better machine-readable
features.
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The FR 3054d may cover the following information or closely related topics:
Opinions on currency quality,
Uses of sensor technology, or
The effectiveness of machine-readable features of banknotes.

Long-form Currency Education Usability Surveys (FR 3054e)
Short-form Currency Education Usability Surveys (FR 3054g)
The FR 3054e and FR 3054g are conducted through the Board or a private firm up to ten
times per year, on an ad hoc basis, to collect information on the effectiveness and usability of
currency education resources. The frequency and covered topics of the survey is determined by
the demand for currency education, number of new resources, digital platforms or web pages
requiring feedback, and instances of website architecture restructuring. The respondents to the
FR 3054e and FR 3054g would primarily be individuals, but the surveys may request responses
from currency handling entities such as depository institutions or retailers to support the
development of education materials for these stakeholder groups.

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The FR 3054e and FR 3054g may cover the following information or closely related
topics:
• Website usability,
• Mobile app usability, or
• The effectiveness of other education-related resources and projects.

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