Anti-counterfeiting properties of U.S. dollar banknotes
(1) Special paper: The paper of U.S. dollar banknotes is high-grade milky white banknote paper, which is mainly made of cotton and linen fibers. The paper is tough, scratch-resistant and has no fluorescent reaction under ultraviolet light.
(2) Fixed portrait watermark: The 1996 edition of US dollar paper has a watermark that is the same as the portrait of the person on the note.
(3) Red and blue colored fibers: Starting from the 1885 edition, red and blue colored fibers have been added to the US dollar bill paper. From the 1885 edition to the 1928 edition, the red and basket colored fibers were directional, that is, the red and basket fiber filaments were distributed in the middle of the banknote, forming two narrow strips from top to bottom. After the 1929 edition, the red and blue colored fibers are randomly distributed throughout the banknote.
(4) Text security line: Starting from the 1990 edition, a fully embedded text security line has been added to the banknotes of each denomination from US$50 to US$100 (on the left side of the portrait). On the security line, there are alternating positive and negative micro-printed letters "USA" and Arabic or English words and denomination numbers. The 1996 version of the $50 and $20 dollars also had an American flag graphic on the security line. The security thread of the 1996 version of the U.S. dollar is still a fluorescent security thread, which shows different colors under ultraviolet light. The security threads of the 100, 50, 20, 10, and 5 dollars are red, yellow, green, brown, and blue respectively.
(5) Engraving and gravure printing: The portraits, buildings, borders and denomination numbers on the front and back of the U.S. dollar are all engraving and gravure printing. There is an obvious bumpy feeling when touched by hand. Since gravure printing requires high pressure, the ink will spread, the ink will overflow, and the lines will be tooth-like. This is an important feature of gravure printing and requires a magnifying glass to see clearly.
(6) Letterpress printing: The bank seal and crown number on US dollar banknotes are printed in letterpress. You can feel the concave and convex feeling by touching the corresponding parts on the back of the banknote.
(7) Thin line printing: The 1996 version of the U.S. dollar uses a thin line design on the background of the portrait on the front and the background of the building on the back. This design has a strong anti-copying effect.
(8) Gravure microtext: Starting from the 1990 edition, a ring line organized by gravure microtext is added to the edge of the US dollar portrait. The microtext is "THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA", which requires a magnifying glass. Can see clearly. The 1996 version of US$100 and US$20 also added microtext of "USA100" and "USA20" to the denomination numbers in the lower left corner of the front respectively, while the US$50 added microtext of "FIFTY" to the lace on both sides of the front.
(9) Crown numbers: There are two sets of horizontal numbers printed on the front of US dollar banknotes, and the color is green. Before the 1996 edition, the U.S. dollar prefix number consisted of a prefix, 8 digits and a suffix letter. The 1996 version of the U.S. dollar added a prefix to represent the year number.
(10) Optically variable denomination numbers: The denomination numbers in the lower left corner of the front of the 1996 version of US$100, 50, 20, and 10 US dollars are printed with optically variable ink. When viewed at a vertical angle to the face of the note, they appear green. Tilt it at a certain angle and it turns black.
(11) Magnetic ink: The US dollar front gravure ink is magnetic, and the magnetism can be detected with a magnetic detector. Why are counterfeit bills so rare in the United States?
1. There is little circulation of large-denomination banknotes in the U.S. market
In fact, the United States is not without counterfeit banknotes. As a common currency in the world, U.S. banknotes have always been a popular target for counterfeiting, and counterfeit U.S. banknotes There are also many types. Therefore, the United States has taken a series of measures to minimize the circulation of counterfeit currency. The best way to prevent counterfeit bills is not to use them. Americans are also afraid of receiving counterfeit bills, so it is almost rare to see $100 bills circulating in the market because the probability of counterfeit bills is relatively high.
Since the probability of counterfeit $20 bills is low, some merchants only accept cash for purchases under $20, and all large purchases are made by credit card and check. According to statistics, more than 80% of Americans' daily expenses are paid with credit cards, and cash only accounts for a small proportion. On the one hand, this can reduce the probability of receiving counterfeit banknotes, and on the other hand, it can also reduce losses in the event of being robbed.
2. The anti-counterfeiting ability of U.S. dollars is relatively strong
Since U.S. dollars are made using special paper, direct counterfeiting is difficult. This paper is printed on paper using a special wool blend from Australia. It is worth mentioning that wool will appear on the dollar when viewed against the sun. This wool cannot be copied because it is only supplied to the Federal Reserve in the United States and is patented.
The common tool used in the United States to identify counterfeit banknotes is a banknote detector pen. As long as you draw a mark on the US dollar, the real banknote will appear red, while the counterfeit banknote will appear black. But there are policies and countermeasures, because the principle of the money detector pen is actually very simple. It contains an iodine solution. When this solution reacts with the starch in the wooden paper, it will generate a black substance. When the solution encounters real banknotes printed on fiber paper, there will be no discoloration. Therefore, the money detector pen only checks whether the paper used for banknotes is ordinary paper or special paper used by the United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Many criminals take advantage of this loophole and use the method of "making US dollar bills from US dollars". Since all U.S. dollars are the same size, criminals can wash out the ink from the original $1 bills and reprint them into higher-denomination U.S. bills.
Therefore, in order to prevent the proliferation of counterfeit U.S. currency, the U.S. government has further used high-precision technology to improve the anti-counterfeiting capabilities of the U.S. dollar, regardless of cost. In the new version of the U.S. dollar, advanced microtechnology is used to weave 3D security strips into the $100 bill to create the visual effect of a moving bell pattern and the number 100; color-changing ink technology is used for the bell pattern in the copper ink pool on the front of the bill; Embedded on the left side of the portrait is a vertical security thread that glows pink under ultraviolet light, as well as a series of advanced and sophisticated technologies such as portrait watermarks and color-changing numbers.
3. Strictly crack down on counterfeiting, and be careful about going to jail if you use counterfeit money.
The United States Secret Service was founded in 1865, with the original intention of combating the rampant counterfeit criminal activities after the outbreak of the Civil War. At the time, an estimated one-third to one-half of the currency in circulation was counterfeit, according to the Secret Service website. It was not until President McKinley was assassinated in 1901 that the Secret Service took on the now better-known additional task of protecting the president.
In addition, if you accidentally receive counterfeit money in the United States, according to regulations, you need to report it to the relevant departments immediately and provide source information as much as possible. That is, who gave you the counterfeit money and what are its appearance characteristics. In the United States, don’t be like at home. It’s best not to try to spend the counterfeit money you have. According to U.S. law, such an approach may make you face up to 5 years in prison and a penalty of up to $10,000. According to reports, John Jernigan was sentenced to a fine of $400 by the Bay County Court for illegal trespassing. As he was paying the fine, court staff noticed a $20 bill that looked strange. They then discovered that the banknotes handed over by Jernigan had the same serial number and immediately arrested him.