SecurityEngraversGroupPresentation

ClarenceE.HolbertDesigningEritreasCurrency
ClayIrving
January3,2010

Introduction
PresentedwiththeideaofapresentationfortheSecurityEngraversGroup,Ipurchasedtherecommended
booksaboutengraversandspentconsiderabletimeselectingthesubjectmatter.Ialwayslikedthedesignof
Eritreasbanknotes,andsomewherealongthewayinmywanderingoflearningaboutWorldbanknotes,I
discoveredEritreascurrencywasdesignedbyanAmericanworkingattheBureauofEngravingandPrinting,Mr.
ClarenceE.Holbert.HisisafascinatingstorythatIhopeyouenjoyasmuchasIdo.

Eritrea
Eritreaisacountryunknowntomostpeople.ItislocatedintheHornofAfricaatthesouthernpartoftheRed
Sea,andborderedbySudan,Ethiopia,andDjibouti.
Duringthelastcentury,theareanowknownasEritrea
wasacolonyofItaly,capturedandadministeredbythe
British,andfederatedwithEthiopia.Afterathirtyyear
struggleforindependencefromEthiopia,Eritreadeclared
itsindependenceandgainedinternationalrecognitionin
1993.

Figure1 EritreaandtheHornofAfrica

ADreamComeTrue
ThisstoryisntreallyaboutEritrea,thoughIts
astoryaboutaAfricanAmericanmanbornon
January26,1944.HisnameisClarenceE.
Holbert.Asachildhewasconstantlydrawing
andscribbling.HeattendedwhatisnowThe
UniversityoftheDistrictofColumbia(UDC).
AttheUDC,MeredithRode,oneofHolberts
professorsatartsaid,Ithinkhisworkis
impressive.Itsimaginativeandskilled.Clarence
isoneofthefewstudentsIrememberoutofthe
thousandsIhavetaught.1

TheUniversityoftheDistrictofColumbia
Inthe1960stheopportunityforadvancedtechnical
trainingorstudyforliberalartsdegreefortheblackand
poorwasanunattainablegoal.ThePublicEducationAct
(PublicLaw89791)wasenactedin1966,andtwoschools
wereestablished:FederalCityCollege,whoseBoardof
HigherEducationwasappointedbytheMayorofthe
DistrictofColumbia,andWashingtonTechnicalInstitute,
whoseBoardofVocationalEducationwasappointedby
thePresidentoftheUnitedStates.Themissionofboth
institutionswastoservetheneedsofthecommunityby
directingtheresourcesandknowledgegainedthrough
educationtowardthesolutiontourbanproblems.Both
schoolsproudlyopenedtheirdoorsin1968.The
WashingtonTechnicalInstitutereceiveditsaccreditationin
1971andFederalCityCollegein1974.Theschoolsmerged
withanotherschoolinthemid1970stobecomeThe
UniversityoftheDistrictofColumbia.

Holberttookajobasasecurityguardatthe
BureauofEngravingandPrintingduringhisyears
incollege.Hecontinuedtohonehisartskillwhile
workingasasecurityguard."WhenIwasa
guard,anythingthathadawhitesurfaceonit,I
woulddrawonit,"hesaid."Peoplecamebyandtheywouldcollectthem."Wordgotaroundandwhena
positionopenedupatthebureau,HolbertwasofferedajobasanapprenticebanknotedesignerattheBureau.
Holbertjumpedattheopportunityandsoonwastakingpartintherigoroussevenyearapprenticeshipall
engraversmustundertake.
WhenthenewlyindependentcountryofEritreacametotheU.S.BureauofEngravingin1994toaskforhelpin
designingitscurrency,theBureauassignedthetasktoHolbert.Holbertwassurprisedtobeselected.Ireally
didn'tknowanythingaboutEritrea,"hesaid."Icouldn'tevenlocateitonamap."Hewasalsoverygratifiedto
takethetask.Holbertsaidtherequestwasadreamcometrue."Foryears,Ihadtriedtogetaccesstoworkon
U.S.currencybecauseIknewitwashistorybeingmadebecausetherearesofewtimesthattheAmerican
currencyhasactuallybeenchanged.TocomeupwithanewdesignsuchaswasdoneinEritrea,isbeyond
measurejusttobeabletoworkonit....IwasamazedandIwasthrilledtobepartofit."2

DesigningEritreasMoney
Holbertnoted,"Withitbeinganewnation,therewasnotmuchmaterialavailableonthecountry."Thesolution
involvedrecruitingEritreanartiststotakehundredsofphotographsofpeopleseverydaylivesindifferentareas
ofthecountry.Afterworkingoninitialdesignsbasedonthephotographs,HolbertvisitedEritreatogetabetter
understandingofthecountry.

QuotationsandmaterialobtainedfromMakingmoneytheoldfashionedwaybyJustinJouvenal,StaffWriter,
Gazette.Net,MarylandCommunityNewspapersOnline,May4,2000
2
QuotationsandmaterialobtainedfromDesigningEritreasMoneywasDreamComeTruebyCharlesW.Corey,
WashingtonFileStaffWriter,February12,2003

ArrivinginthecapitalofAsmara,Holbertsaidheimmediately
realizedthatEritreaisanamazingplace.
"WhenIfirstcamethere,theywerebuilding.Iwasjustamazedthat
afterthewar,howtheyweretakingtheoldwarmaterielandjust
makingwhattheyneededtomeettheeverydayneedsofthe
country.

Figure2Asmara,CapitalofEritrea

"Iwasimmediatelyimpressedwiththeinformalityandfriendlinessof
theEritreanpeople,"hesaid."Iwasamazedbytheirbuildingprojects
underway.Menandwomenwereworkingalongsideeachother
alongwithformersoldiers.

"Iwasespeciallyimpressedwithonegentlemaninparticular,"hesaid."WhenIsawthetaskinfrontofhim,I
realizedthathehadacharacterinhispersonalitylikeeveryoneelseinthatcountry.Iquicklyrealizedthatthese
peoplejusthadnottakentimetositdownandthinkaboutfailure.Thatattitude,"henoted,"hadcomeabout
throughthelongwar.Therewaslikeasteelresiliencyinthepeopleandinthisyoungmanthatsaid'Failureis
justnotpartofwhatwearelookingat.Itdoesnotmatterhowlongitwilltakeustoaccomplishourgoal,wewill
bringitabout.'Iwasjustamazedbythat."
HolbertsaidhehadbeenprivilegedtomeetwiththepersonwhoauthoredEritrea'sdeclarationof
independenceandconstitution."IwasamazedbecauseIbegantorealizethatIwasbeingallowedtobecome
partofanothercountryasitcameintobeing.Justlikeourcountryfoughtandgotourfreedom....Iwasinawe
onceIsatdownandrealizedwhatwasactuallygoingon.
"Tome,"headded,"itshowedthedeterminationofapeopletoestablishanidentityforthemselvesinaworld
andtheyhaveincludedeverybodyinit."Holbertproudlynotedthatallthecountry'sethnicgroupsare
representedinthedesignsonthemoney.

"Whatmakesacountryareitspeople;leaderswillcomeandgo."
VeronicaRentmeesters,InformationOfficerfortheEritreanEmbassyintheDistrictofColumbia

Thecurrency,Holbertrecalled,"featurestheeverydaypeopleofEritreabecauseEritreanPresidentIsaias
Afwerkihadgivenspecificinstructionsthat:

ThemoneycouldnotfeaturecabinetorgovernmentofficialsortheirrelativesThenewmoneyshould
reflectthecommonpeople.
Themoneycouldnotfeatureimagesofwar.
TheymoneymustallbethesamesizeandcolorschemeThepeopleshouldlookatthenoteto
determinethedenominationratherthanjudgingthedenominationbythesizeofthenoteorcolor
scheme3.Holbertindicatesthepresidentwantedtoincreasetheliteracyrateofthecountry,whichwas
at20%atthetime.

The2004IssuedeviatesfromthedirectiveThecolorschemeisconsistentthroughouttheissue,bythesizeofeach
denominationvariesbysize.

Holbertspent3yearsonthetaskresearching,planning,designingandtravelingtounderstandthecountryand
createthecurrency.Hespentlonghoursinarealibrariesresearchingthecountryandmadeseveraltripsto
Eritreatoexploreitsbustlingmarkets,traditionaloxandplowagricultureanditsbuddingindustry.Holberteven
roadacamelduringonetrip,whichisoneofthecountry'sprimarymodesoftransportationThecamel
appearsasthewatermarkfortheEritreannotes.
Withhisresearchcomplete,Holbertsettledonadesignforthebillsandcoinsthathesaidfeaturedtwoofthe
strongestaspectsofthecountryEritrea'swomenanditsrareanimals.Whileallthebillsarethesamecolor
andsize,Holbertsaid,theydo"tietogether"intheirdesign.
OnthefrontofeachEritreanbill,HolbertdepictedapictureofacommonEritreanwoman.Womenplayedan
essentialroleinthebattleforEritrea'sindependence,hesaid.AccordingtoavideoputtogetherbytheEritrean
government,30percentofthefreedomfightersinEritrea'swarforindependencewerefemale.Thevideoalso
saidwomenplayedalargeroleinkeepingfamiliestogetherduringthewar.
OnoneofhistripstoAsmara,Holbertsaid"Iwasthereattheairportafteralong
flightfromWashington.IwaspagedandIraisedmyhandtoanswerthepage.The
Eritreanswhometmeattheairportcameoverandhuggedme.Oneofthemtoldme
'Youdon'tknowhowgooditmadeusfeeltoseethatitwasoneofuswhodesigned
ourcurrency.'Theverynextmorning,"hesaid,"apersonveryhighupinthe
governmentcametomyhotel,huggedmeandsaid,'Welcomehome.'"
"Thatmeltedmyheart.BeingablackAmericanintheUnitedStatesyouknow
thethingsyougothrough...doingsuchadeedforthepeopleofEritrea,mademefeel
goodthatthecountryhasembracedme."

StateofEritreasNotes
Holbertchoseatriptychportraitforthefrontofthenotes.Atriptychisaworkofart(usuallyapanelpainting)
whichisdividedintothreesections,orthreecarvedpanels,whicharehingedtogetherandfolded.Inaportrait,
atriptychdepictsthreesubjectssidebyside,thelateralonesbeingusuallysubordinate,thoughconnectedin
subject.
ThenotesdepictEritreanfightersraisingthe(EritreaPeoplesLiberationFront)EPLFflagVeryreminiscentto
AmericansoldiersraisingtheflagonIwoJima.
TheBankofEritrealogoisdepictedonthebackofeachnote.

P1BankofEritrea1NakfaNote,1997Issue,
IssueDate:24May1997
Front:Threegirlsatcenter,flagraisingatleft
Back:Childreninbushschoolatcenterright
Watermark:Camelhead
Printer:Giesecke&Devrient,Germany
Size:140x70mm

P2BankofEritrea5NakfaNote,
IssueDate:1997Issue,24May1997
Front:Youngboy,youngman,andoldermanat
center,flagraisingatleft,OVD(Optically
VariableDevice)Kinegramverticalfoilatleft
Back:CattlegrazingunderhugeJacarandatree
atcenterright
Watermark:Camelhead
Printer:Giesecke&Devrient,Germany
Size:140x70mm

P3BankofEritrea10NakfaNote,1997Issue
IssueDate:24May1997
Front:Threegirlsatcenter,flagraisingatleft,
OVD(OpticallyVariableDevice)Kinegram
verticalfoilatleft
Back:Truckonrailshaulingboxcarsacross
viaductovertheDogaliRiveratcenterright
Watermark:Camelhead
Printer:Giesecke&Devrient,Germany
Size:140x70mm

P4BankofEritrea20NakfaNote,1997Issue
IssueDate:24May1997
Front:Threegirlsatcenter,flagraisingatleft,
OVD(OpticallyVariableDevice)Kinegram
verticalfoilatleft
Back:Farmerplowingwithacamel,woman
harvesting,womanonfarmtractoratcenter
right
Watermark:Camelhead
Printer:Giesecke&Devrient,Germany
Size:140x70mm

P7BankofEritrea50NakfaNote,2004Issue
IssueDate:24May2004
Front:Threegirlsatcenter,flagraisingatleft,
OVD(OpticallyVariableDevice)Kinegram
verticalfoilatleft
Back:ShipsinPortofMasawaatcenterright
Watermark:Camelhead
Printer:Giesecke&Devrient,Germany
Size:143x71mm

P8BankofEritrea100NakfaNote,2004Issue
IssueDate:24May2004
Obverse:Threegirlsatcenter,flagraisingatleft,
OVD(OpticallyVariableDevice)Kinegram
verticalfoilatleft
Reverse:Farmersplowingwithoxenatcenter
right
Watermark:Camelhead
Printer:Giesecke&Devrient,Germany
Size:147x72mm

But,Wait!Theresmore
ClarenceHolbertalsodesignedthecoinsforEritreasmoneyandhedesignedseveralstampsduringhistimeat
theBureauofEngravingandPrinting.
Scott#2523A
IssueDate:July4,1991
Designer,Typographer,andModeler:ClarenceHolbert

FederalDuckStampProgram
IssueDate:1983
DesignerandModeler:ClarenceHolbert

FederalDuckStampProgram
IssueDate:1996
Modeler:ClarenceHolbert

FederalDuckStampProgram
IssueDate:1990
DesignerandModeler:ClarenceHolbert

FederalDuckStampProgram
IssueDate:1986
DesignerandModeler:ClarenceHolbert

FederalDuckStampProgram
IssueDate:1978
DesignerandModeler:ClarenceHolbert

FranklinD.RooseveltStamp
100thAnniversaryofBirth
IssueDate:January30,1982
Designer:ClarenceHolbert

Head,StatueofLiberty
"ILiftMyLampBesidetheGoldenDoor"
IssueDate:March31,1978
DesignerandModeler:ClarenceHolbert

EarlyBallotBox
"ToCastaFreeBallotARootofDemocracy"
DesignerandModeler:C.Holbert

IntroducingClarenceE.Holbert
Mr.HolbertretiredfromtheBureauofEngravingandPrintingin1998.Holbertheldoneofonlyfiveslotsthe
bureauhasforengraversandwasthesecondofthreeAfricanAmericanstoholdthepositioninthehistoryof
thegovernmentagency.Truly,heshouldbeaninspirationforall.

IfeellikeGodblessedmewithmycareer

ClarenceE.Holbert

Figure3PhotographofClarenceE.HolbertstandinginfrontofEritrea'sMoneyexhibitatUDCArtGallery