How can you tell if a 1985 twenty dollar bill is fake?

Answer 1

If the date on the bill is 1990-present, a real bill will contain a security strip embedded in the paper. You can see it if you hold the bill up to light. Then bills 1996-present added watermarks of Andrew Jackson, which can also be seen when held in front of light. The number 20 on the front in the lower right corner is printed with a color-shifting ink, which changes color depending on the angle at which it's viewed. Something else is in the paper itself. All currency paper contains small red and blue fibers, which will be missing from fake bills. Also with the paper, bills have a distinct feel and texture to them.

Answer 2

You can check the security features on the bill, such as the watermark, security thread, and color-shifting ink. Compare the bill to a genuine one to look for any noticeable differences in design and printing quality. If you are unsure, take the bill to a bank or local authority for validation.

Answer 3

This is not necessarily fool-proof. If you don't have one of those special pens that clerks sometimes use, rub the green part of the bill hard on plain white paper. A genuine bill should leave a faint green color on the paper. You should notice this with bills of any denomination.

Answer 4

a two dollar bill has had many introductions to the public but has never really caught on. the time and expense of counterfeiting $2 bills is not worth it

Well, yes and no...

$2 bills have been issued regularly since 1862. The most recent issue (as of 2009) was the 2008 series. They're not commonly used for 2 primary reasons:

> First, a certain fraction of the population STILL believes the old urban legend that the bills are somehow "evil". That odd belief came about because $2 bills were popular with gamblers in the 19th century when that amount was the standard bet for horse racing and other so-called immoral activities.

> Second, there's the circular problem that they disappear from circulation almost as soon as they're spent because so many people are unfamiliar with them that they hoard them as supposed collectibles. But doing that means they're seen in change even less often....

Note that the denomination was successfully used by many other countries such as Canada, New Zealand, Australia, etc. until they replaced both their $1 and $2 bills with coins, so there's nothing inherently wrong with it.

Answer 5

/* "The absence of the water mark is one way of telling a given 50 dollar bill is fake. A fake 50 dollar bill color will come off if you scratch it with your fingers." */

Sorry, but NOT correct.

There are no watermarks on ANY old US bills printed prior to 1990, so their absence is normal and not an indicator of a counterfeit.

There are very few security features in old bills. You can look for tiny red and blue fibers embedded in the paper, and examine the engraving carefully for any irregularities. For example, on a genuine bill lines will be fine and well-defined, and the "teeth" around the bill's seal will be sharp and evenly spaced.

Answer 6

U.S. currency printed before the 1990s doesn't have the security features seen today. There is no security strip, watermark, or microprinting yet. Look closely at the bill to find small red and blue fibers mixed in with the paper. Or, you can take the bill to a bank, where it can be tested with an indicator pen.

Answer 7

you mark it with a black permanant marker, and if it marks black, it is fake. if it marks brown, it's real.

Answer 8

the color and print of it compared to another