Fake, Replica and Novelty Paper Money

Notes the United States never issued

Some fakes give themselves away by denomination. There has never been a US $3 bill or a $1,000,000 bill. Anything with a cartoon, a celebrity or a political slogan where a portrait should be is a novelty. The largest note ever printed was the $100,000 gold certificate of Series 1934, used only between Federal Reserve Banks and the Treasury. Ordinary people never held real ones, so any you find are reproductions.

High denominations that did circulate, the $500, $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 notes, are popular subjects for replicas too. A real one is a serious collectible. A copy usually turns up in a tourist shop or a box of souvenirs.

Replicas of famous old notes

Souvenir replicas of historic currency are sold in museums, gift shops and history kits. Popular subjects include the 1896 Educational notes, Confederate notes and other large-size rarities. Many are printed on tan or brown paper with artificially aged edges, which real notes never had. Others reproduce both sides on a single glossy sheet.

These are perfectly legal to own and fine as teaching pieces. They just carry no collector value. The tell is often a word such as "COPY" or "REPLICA" in small print, or a maker's name in the margin.

Physical checks for any suspect note

• Paper: real US currency paper is 75 percent cotton and 25 percent linen. It feels cloth-like and doesn't glow brightly under a black light. Printer paper feels smooth and often glows.
• Fibers: tiny red and blue fibers are embedded in the paper of modern notes. Printed fibers sit on the surface and look flat under a magnifier.
• Raised ink: run a fingernail gently over the portrait. Intaglio printing feels slightly rough. A flat print feels smooth.
• Fine lines: the borders and backgrounds are made of crisp engraved lines. Copies blur them into dots or smudges, which shows clearly under a magnifier.
• Size: measure it. A note that is clearly too small or too large for its type is not genuine.
• Serial numbers: replicas often reuse the same serial on every copy. Real serials are evenly spaced and sharp.
• Seals and colors: compare the seal color and type wording with the type it claims to be. A "silver certificate" with a green seal is wrong.

Prop money

Prop notes made for film and television are supposed to look like money on camera and nothing like money up close. Many carry wording such as "for motion picture use only" and leave out key features. They still get passed in stores sometimes. If a modern looking bill has odd text where "Federal Reserve Note" or "The United States of America" should be, it is a prop.

What the law says about copies

Federal law allows color images of US currency only under set conditions: the image must be less than three-quarters or more than one and a half times the size of a real note in each dimension. It must show only one side. The files and plates used to make it must be destroyed after use. Black and white images must meet the same size rule. Using images that look like money in advertising or on business cards is restricted as well.

In practice, a full-size, two-sided color copy of a current note is the sort of thing the law is aimed at. Owning a clearly marked historic replica is a different matter, but you should never try to spend or sell any copy as genuine.

If you receive a counterfeit

A modern counterfeit meant to pass as real money is different from a replica. Don't hand it back to the person who gave it to you. Note what you can about them, handle the note as little as possible and contact the local police or the US Secret Service. You won't be reimbursed for it, but you also must not pass it on.

For modern notes, check the security features first: the watermark and security thread visible when you hold higher denominations to the light. Then look for the color-shifting numeral in the lower right corner of the face on $10 and higher notes of newer designs.

When a real note looks suspicious

Old notes can look odd for innocent reasons. Faded ink, washing and heavy wear can make a real note feel strange. A genuine error can look wrong at first glance. If a note passes the paper, fiber and raised ink checks, it is probably genuine. A dealer or a grading service can settle the question.

Frequently asked questions