Clipart of Dime in logo...copyright issues?

[Stacey K]

A customer wants to name their bar "Stop on a Dime" and wants clipart of a dime in the background. Now she is asking to have the dime be the main part of the logo but instead of Liberty, have the bar name and then the est. year where the year is. 1. It should be called "Roosevelts" because that's all I see is his face when I look at it - ugh. 2. I feel like I'm defacing money...is this legal? Here's a quick jpeg of her thoughts, I didn't start it yet, it's just the idea for you to see...

 

[Boudica]

Good question. I would think it's fine. It's just a graphic.
I think it's only illegal if you modify/alter actual currency - or try to pass off something fake as real currency.

 

[netsol]

why use a roosevelt dime?

there are many choices.

google disme and you will see more varieties than you would imagine, (click on images tab) including the original rittenhouse (first director of the mint & the villan of the science fiction tv show "timeless") disme from 1792

they may like one of these designs better

 

[Boudica]

A customer wants to name their bar "Stop on a Dime" and wants clipart of a dime in the background. Now she is asking to have the dime be the main part of the logo but instead of Liberty, have the bar name and then the est. year where the year is. 1. It should be called "Roosevelts" because that's all I see is his face when I look at it - ugh. 2. I feel like I'm defacing money...is this legal? Here's a quick jpeg of her thoughts, I didn't start it yet, it's just the idea for you to see...

How many bars DO you have in that small town of yours? lol

 

[Fred Weiss]

A customer wants to name their bar "Stop on a Dime" and wants clipart of a dime in the background. Now she is asking to have the dime be the main part of the logo but instead of Liberty, have the bar name and then the est. year where the year is. 1. It should be called "Roosevelts" because that's all I see is his face when I look at it - ugh. 2. I feel like I'm defacing money...is this legal? Here's a quick jpeg of her thoughts, I didn't start it yet, it's just the idea for you to see...

We've had the U.S. dime as well as the penny, nickel and quarter in our clip art collection for nearly 30 years without complaint from anyone. In addition, they've all been accepted for licensing by every stock site we contribute to ... and most of them are very tough on intellectual property violations.

The important thing for your client to realize is that they cannot claim any rights to the logo.

 

[Gino]

Who cares about 10¢ ?? It's not being considered legal tender, so I wouldn't worry about that one...... just my 2¢

 

[Jester1167]

I have read the restrictions years ago and all I remember it talking about was the bills. They had to be a minimum of 30% larger and you can't print both sides.

Here is a link to the requirements - https://www.uscurrency.gov/media/currency-image-use

 

[Z SIGNS]

Make the sign don't worry about it. You won't go to jail.

 

[mfatty500]

It's Wisconsin, there are many Bars in a city block, regardless of the size of the town

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Printing money is illegal!

What??!! I thought that's what the sign business was all about

 

[Vinyl slayer]

It's Wisconsin, there are many Bars in a city block, regardless of the size of the town

This is the second time I've seen you take a dig at WI... do you have some bad memories there?

Robert taught me to listen... I'm listening... tell us about it...

 

[Bobby H]

IMHO there is a certain hazard with incorporating clip art as is (or with minor modifications) into a company logo. Possible copyright/licensing issues are one thing. The other more obvious issue is the same piece of clip art can show up in other places. Even in the same town.

Generally speaking, there isn't any problem with incorporating imagery of money into logos, graphic designs or illustrations as long as it's altered enough (via creative style, abstraction, etc) that it isn't just some flat, scanned in piece of currency. Make it different somehow. In logos, it's much better to simplify details whenever possible. A true logo can be reduced down to a tiny icon. Some "logos" end up as complicated illustrations that don't read very well at a distance.

 

[GAC05]

This is the second time I've seen you take a dig at WI... do you have some bad memories there?

Robert taught me to listen... I'm listening... tell us about it...

Something to do with a pair of dull scissors I bet.

 

[Vinyl slayer]

no in between tag, but yah, that is really funny

 

[GAC05]

no in between tag, but yah, that is really funny

I will attempt to learn to multi-quote in 2021.

 

[mfatty500]

I have no problem with Wisconsin, it's Illinois' biggest State park, and I enjoy going to Wi. I just happen to know where all the taverns are within a 300 mile radius of home, traveling by motorcycle thorough out the years, you tend to need know where the watering holes are located. And no, I don't have the need for any scissors, dull, or otherwise

 

[signbrad]

A representation of a coin or other money on sign work is usually not a problem. The standard for trademark infringement is the "likelihood of confusion" on the part of the viewer. No viewer will likely mistake a picture on a sign for legal tender.

A point to consider, though, is regarding copyright infringement.
Most stock image-licensing services pointedly forbid the use of their images as logos or as part of a logo or branding scheme. The reason is simple: the images are protected by copyright. Copyrighted images owned by someone else may not be used in logo designs for your client—this would be copyright infringement.
Further, the US Patent & Trademark Office would never knowingly grant a trademark registration for a logo that contains clipart. Unless, of course, you create the artwork yourself, or, if you purchase an exclusive license for a piece of artwork, which is sometimes available from the original artist.

This is from the Shutterstock license agreement on prohibited uses of their clipart [see sec. 1.2, par. h, under PART 1 VISUAL CONTENT LICENSES]:

"Use any Visual Content (in whole or in part) as a trademark, service mark, logo, or other indication of origin, or as part thereof."

Prohibited uses for Shutterstock images

Brad in Kansas City