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 Replies: 17 / Views: 55,471 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
595 Posts |
A friend gave me a five-dollar bill that she was told is counterfeit. She tried to spend it somewhere, and the clerk used one of those pens on it -- usually only used on 20's and 100's -- and the clerk said it was not genuine.
It looks genuine to me. I think it's just old. It's a series 1950.
What is supposed to happen when that pen is used on a bill? Is there something about an old bill that would give the same result as a counterfeit bill?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4541 Posts |
i dunno  i do know Is it blue seal red seal? I am going to have to try and search that out  |
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Rest in Peace
United States
2668 Posts |
Ahh, errr....  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
507 Posts |
Those pens contain iodine. If used on paper with starch (like from a printer or photocopier), it will turn black. That won't happen on bills, because they're not paper. Anyhow, does the bill have the mark from a pen on it? What color is the mark?
My guess is that an ignorant clerk said it wasn't genuine simply because it 'looks funny'. Just like some people don't think old silver coins are real money.
If she _really_ suspected it was counterfeit, shouldn't the clerk have called the police?
WheatieFan
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
595 Posts |
Yes, I'm sure the clerk was ignorant -- nobody uses those pens on small bills because counterfeiters don't go to all that trouble for fiv bucks. I presume it was because it looked different, being an old variety. I'm sure the seal is blue -- I would remember if it wasn't. (The bill is at home and I'm at work right now.) I will scan it tonight and post a picture.
The store clerk was probably 15 and doesn't remeber when U.S. paper money had presidential portraits smack in the middle....
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Valued Member
United States
442 Posts |
Different paper composition in the notes from the 1950 series. Those stinking pens don't work on them. What the clerk has done is put an unnessecary mark on an older note. Kind of like scratching a Wheat cent with a knife to see if it's copper. I'd bet that five and more it is a genuine note. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
If it is a 1950 series, the it has to be a Federal Reserve Note with a green seal as those were the only 1950 series $5 bills. The United States Notes(red seal) have a 1928 series and then skip to 1953 series. The Silver Certificates(blue seal) have a 1934 series and then skip to 1953 as well. As far as authenticity, clembo is correct- the old stock doesn't work the same way. A friend of mine who used to live in Las Vegas and worked in a cashier cage at a casino told me a story one time. Some big shot wanted to impress a lady friend. He purchased five $1000 bills from a local coin dealer and then went to the casino to look like a big man throwing down some $1000 notes at a poker table. Well, he did that and a cashier used an iodine pen on all five notes  Needless to say, the guy was not happy when told they were "counterfeit" and threw a fit. A call was placed to the local Secret Service office and agents were dispatched. They verified that the bills were authentic but the funny thing is that the casino still refused to take the money and then kicked him out  Now the guy had five $1000 bills that he had probably spent $10,000 on and they had iodine marks all over them and it would be doubtful that any other casino would accept them either and his lady friend was probably not very impressed at that point  Edited by biokemist6
09/05/2008 09:23 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1713 Posts |
I used to work as a cashier and used to count tills at the end of each business day. The cashiers used the counterfeit pens frequently. When used on a legitimate bill they can turn anywhere from a yellow to a dark brown (sometimes mistaken as black) color. If you were to write on regular paper with one of these pens, it turns black.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
595 Posts |
Yes, it is a green seal, as Biok6 points out. I wouldn't say this picture-less thread was useless as it answered my quesiton about what the pen does, but to satisfy Arthrene, here is a scan.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1713 Posts |
janknez, Oops. I was looking for the simple pics icon ( ) the icon codes are almost identical and I forgot the "!" at the end. I agree this post has been helpful both in the pen information and in the information provided about the different colored seals and when they were made. Thanks for the pictures it looks like a nice note. I don't know if it's just the photos or what but I can't even see the pen mark on the bill so it doesn't look like the cashier did too much damage! Nice find! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
595 Posts |
I can't see a mark, either, Arthrene, and that brings up yet another interesting point.
I just got back from a week of casino hopping around Wisconsin and Michigan and have 20 $100 bills I'm going to put back in the bank this morning. Some I might have taken with me (from the bank), but most are from casinos where they routinely marked big bills with the iodine pen, and I don't see a mark on any of them.
Does it disappear as it dries? Or just what?
Inquiring minds..........
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4541 Posts |
it doesn't look fake to me !
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1713 Posts |
According to this site: http://www.sure24.co.uk/datasheets/...SCHCD1-1.pdfthe pens do fade. I've used the pens before but never waited around or watched them closely enough to notice it. I'm glad the pen doesn't appear to have done any damage to the bill. I wonder if there are any long term effects of iodine on the bills. Hmm... |
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Valued Member
United States
447 Posts |
I have a story of my own to tell: Last week while waiting for my gf I went into a Dunkin Donuts shop to buy a large ice coffee. When I handed a 1969 $20 note to the cashier, she used the pen and said the bill wasn't real. I told them it is real and that I got it from a bank. Of course, he didn't believe me  . So he said by law he shouldn't give the note back to me and that he should be calling the police. Man, if I had the time I would ask him to call the cops and SS to come check the note. I wanted to see his face when the SS tell him that the note was real! The note was spent elsewhere.... |
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Moderator
 United States
187702 Posts |
The question I have is, since you wanted to spend it, how bad was the condition of that 1969 $20 note?  |
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Valued Member
United States
442 Posts |
Congratulations janknez
You have a real, bona fide note there with a really high serial number. Keep it.
clembo
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Replies: 17 / Views: 55,471 |
Posted 09/05/2008 01:20 am
