How to Tell a Counterfeit 20
Recent United States currency incorporates many safety features to discourage the production of counterfeit bills. If you handle U.S. currency, it is important to understand these security features and be on the lookout for counterfeit money. On Oct. 9, 2003, the U.S. treasury released a more secure version of the $20 bill in an effort to reduce counterfeiting. This redesigned bill has been very successful in inhibiting counterfeit production and has made it easier for the general public to spot a counterfeit bill.
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Instructions
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Security Features
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Test that the 20 in the lower right corner of the bill is printed with color-shifting ink. Tilt the bill to see if the 20 changes from a copper color to a greenish color. The currency circulated since 2003 includes a dramatic color shift to make it simpler to spot the counterfeit bill.
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Check for a watermark on the bill. On the $20 bill, the watermark is a very faint picture of Jackson and should appear on the right edge of the bill. The watermark is visible on both sides of the bill. This watermark is actually part of the currency paper, so it is difficult for counterfeiters to duplicate.
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Check the bill to ensure that the security thread is visible. The security thread is embedded in the paper on the left hand side of the bill. The thread runs vertically and features the words USA TWENTY and a small image of the flag. You have to look very closely to see the words and it helps to hold the bill toward the light to locate the security thread. The thread will also glow a greenish color when an ultraviolet light is shone on it.
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Additional new features have been added to the redesigned bill such as microprinting, color additions, Federal Reserve indicators, updated symbols and portraits and a low vision detail. All of these make the duplication of money more difficult for counterfeiters. However, they are not necessarily a legitimate way to determine fraudulent bills, as they can be duplicated.
Counterfeit Bill Detection Products
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Special machines and pens can also be purchased to detect counterfeit bills. Depending on your needs and the complexity of the machine, these products can range from around $30 to hundreds of dollars. The machines utilize ultra-violet light sensors to detect counterfeits.
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Counterfeit detection pens are available and provide a convenient method for the average public to detect fraudulent bills; however, these pens are not fool-proof. The pen uses an iodine based solution, which reacts with the starch found in paper that is wood-based. This reaction causes a black stain on the bill. U.S. currency is printed on a fiber-based paper that is not susceptible to the iodine reaction, so the pen does not cause any marks on genuine currency.
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While convenient, the counterfeit detection pens are not a fool-proof solution as they do not detect counterfeit bills produced on fiber paper. Skilled counterfeiters can easily bypass this detection method by using a fiber-based paper.
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References
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