Too European?

While I agree that the appearance of money is of secondary importance, It is nice for the cash that you hold to have some charm to it, even if its only a few quid. I don't think the design looks "European" at all. To resemble the many harlequin banknotes that most of the world uses, it would need to have quite a bit more colour. This feeble attempt at pigmentation looks rather like a shopping reciept that has been through the wash with an article of over-dyed clothing. The bleak austerity of the graphics contrast greatly with the vibrant designs one typically encounters throughout the world. I find it difficult to fathom why Americans insist upon having such dull currency- even when they try to tart it up no less.

Probably the next step, perhaps to be seen in circulation as early as 2015, would be to put the portrait in full fleshtone color, a color most difficult to capture with mere ink.