How to distinguish real dollars and euros from a fake

The ability to distinguish real banknotes from counterfeit ones has not been very popular in recent years. The currency was kept in accounts, and payments in dollars and euros were made using bank cards. And if cash was required, it could be freely received at the bank’s cash desk or withdraw everything from the same account directly at an ATM. It was not necessary to turn to obscure exchange offices or use the services of dubious personalities in dark alleys.

But now Visa and Mastercard stopped work in Russia, so you won’t be able to pay with these cards abroad. State bannedThe cash market in Russia is closed for six months. Generalization / Interfax citizens to buy cash for rubles. And remove it from the account canThe Bank of Russia introduces a temporary procedure for cash transactions / Central Bank, only if it was opened before March 9, 2022 and only in the amount of up to 10 thousand dollars, the rest will be given in rubles.

But people still sometimes need a currency, and they go to different tricks. And any gray area is always a field of action scammers. Therefore, the ability to distinguish fake banknotes from real ones may again become in demand.

What to do if you check the euro

The website of the European Central Bank has detailed instructionsSecurity features/ ECB, which understand the main features of the authenticity of banknotes. And there you can see the nuances for banknotes of the old and new design. We will focus on the latest version of the euro. Here are some tips from the department.

Feel the banknote

The Euro is printed on cotton paper. It is thinner than usual, and it feels tactile. And the bill should be crispy and firm.

If the money feels smooth to the touch, this should alert. Thanks to a special printing method, authentic banknotes are embossed. You can feel it when you swipe the euro with your fingers.

Turn the bill

On the front side of the banknote, on the right, there is a strip with a hologram. On it is the head of Europe (heroines ancient Greek myth, not the mainland), the euro sign, the denomination of the bill and a miniature main image from it. All this shimmers when tilted.

In the lower left corner there is a holographic number indicating the denomination of the banknote.

On some sections of the banknote, its denomination and the word "euro" are applied in microprint. different languages.

Examine the banknote against the light

A watermark is applied to the euro by changing the thickness of the paper. It can be seen on the white field of the bill, if you examine it in the light. The transitions between dark and light parts of the image should be smooth.

In addition, if the banknote is viewed against the light, part of the hologram will become transparent and a portrait of Europe will be visible. But this verification method only works for copies with a face value of 20 euros and above.

Also, a protective strip built into the bill will appear in the light. The word euro and the denomination are applied to it.

Measure the bill

Euros of different denominations have different sizes. It helps visually impaired people to distinguish banknotes. And it can also be a way to detect a fake. The established sizes of real banknotes are as follows:

• 5 euro - 120 × 62 mm;
• 10 euros - 127 × 67 mm;
• 20 euros - 133 × 72 mm;
• 50 euros - 140 × 77 mm;
• 100 euros - 147 × 77 mm;
• 200 euros - 153 × 77 mm;
• 500 euros (available only in the old design) - 160 × 82 mm.

Examine the banknote in ultraviolet

Obviously, this is not the easiest and most affordable way. But if you suddenly have a source of ultraviolet light, use it and check for the following signs:

• Red, blue and green fibers embedded in the bill material are visible throughout the area.
• On the front side, the stars on the EU flag, as well as the large stars and small circles, glow yellow, as do part of the main design.

• On the back, the quarter circle in the center glows green. The banknote number and the stripe in the middle are highlighted in red.

Compare the bill with the unequivocally genuine

fakes are quite high. If you determine the authenticity of the euro, guided only by the description, there is a risk of making a mistake. Therefore, the European Central Bank advises in any incomprehensible situation to compare banknotes about which you have doubts with those in which you are absolutely sure. Examine all the signs of authenticity on the sample in order to understand what money should actually be.

What to do if you check dollars

The US Federal Reserve refers to a full-fledged site, which explains how to recognize the authenticity of US currency. If you are very meticulous, own English or mastered the online translator, explore the resource at your leisure. This is useful because the design of banknotes has changed. We will focus on the last version of the appearance of banknotes. In general, the advice will be like this.

Feel the banknote

Dollars are made from a mixture of cotton and linen. That is, banknotes are different to the touch from ordinary paper. First of all, the thickness - bills are not so thick. In addition, money paper is slightly rough and more durable. And the images and letters printed on it are embossed, which is achieved through intaglio printing.

To make sure that there is a relief, you can put the bill on a flat surface and run your fingernail over the clothes in the portrait. Nail should cling to the bulges.

Consider a bill

In the paper of a real dollar, red and blue fibers can be seen. Counterfeiters usually try to imitate this with a seal. So, if the colored fibers are not woven into the bill, but are drawn on top, this is a sign of a fake.

Now the Federal Reserve Board issues denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollars. On the front side, each depicts a portrait of a famous American statesman. And it is worth remembering who got what denomination in order to avoid situations when more zeros were simply applied to the bill.

And also - the larger the denomination, the more security elements the banknote has. Therefore, we will figure out where exactly to look, depending on the value of the dollar.

1 dollar

The front side of the bill depicts the first President of the United States, George Washington. To the left of the portrait is the seal of the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States, to the right is the green seal, which refers to the Ministry of finance. The seals are on all banknotes, so we will not repeat ourselves further.

Under the left seal and above the right is the serial number of the banknote.

The $1 bill is issued in a 1963 design and, aside from paper quality and embossed printing, it has no special security properties.

2 dollars

On the banknote is the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. The two dollar note is considered rare and comes in a 1976 design. Otherwise, the same description can be applied to it as to the one-dollar.

5 dollars

The 13th US President Abraham Lincoln is depicted on the banknote. To the right of the portrait is the Great Seal of the United States depicting an eagle and shield in purple. Seal and portrait surrounded by purple stars.

Inside the left and right borders of the banknote, the repeated text FIVE DOLLARS is applied. On the reverse side in the lower right corner is a large purple number 5. The text USA FIVE is visible along one of its edges.

The year of issue of the series is indicated at the bottom right on the front side. It could be 2006, 2009 and 2013.

A security thread is built into the five-dollar bill, which is visible in the light, and glows blue under ultraviolet light. Also, there should be watermarks on both sides of the portrait: a vertical pattern of three fives on the left and a big five on the right.

10 dollars

On the bill is a portrait of one of the founding fathers of the United States, Alexander Hamilton. Under it and inside the borders of the banknote, you can see the text THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and TEN DOLLARS USA.

To the left of the portrait is a large orange image of the Statue of Liberty's torch. In a smaller version, it is duplicated with metallic paint to the right of the bottom of the portrait. On the reverse side you can find a big ten in green. On the front in a similar corner there is also the number 10, but already holographic. It changes its color from green to copper.

To the right of the portrait watermark - also in the form of a portrait of Hamilton. The security thread glows purple in ultraviolet light. At the bottom right, 2004A, 2006, 2009 or 2013 may be indicated.

20 dollars

On the front side of the banknote is the seventh President of the United States, Andrew Jackson. His portrait in the form of a watermark is also on the right and is visible through the light. In the background of the portrait on the right are the words TWENTY USA, on the left is a large eagle. The text and image are printed in blue. The copy of the eagle is duplicated with metallic green paint to the right and bottom of the portrait.

The text USA20 is applied in small letters along the border of the first three letters of the blue TWENTY USA lettering. On the left of portrait on the border of the banknote, under the signature of the treasurer, one can find the inscription THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 20 USA 20.

On the front side of the banknote there is a holographic number 20, iridescent from green to copper, on the reverse side there is a standard large green "20". The security thread turns green in ultraviolet light and the inscription USA TWENTY is visible on it.

Valid series production years are 2004, 2004A, 2006, 2009 and 2013.

$50

On the banknote we are waiting for a portrait of the 18th President of the United States Ulysses S. Grant. It was also duplicated in the form of a watermark, visible through the light. To the left of the portrait - blue flag with stars, on the right - red with stripes.

To the right of the bottom of the portrait is a small metallic blue star. Tiny inscriptions FIFTY, USA and 50 can be seen inside two blue stars to the left of the portrait. FIFTY is repeated within the side borders of the bill. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA can be seen on Grant's collar.

On the front side there is a holographic number 50, iridescent from green to copper, on the reverse side there is a standard large green “50”. USA 50 is visible on the built-in security stripe, the stripe glows yellow in ultraviolet light.

Suitable production years: 2004, 2004A, 2006, 2009 and 2013.

100 dollars

One of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin, is on the bill. His own portrait is duplicated as a watermark. To the right of Franklin are phrases from the Declaration of Independence and an orange pen. From the same side, a copper-colored inkwell is visible from below. In it, when the banknote is tilted, a green bell appears.

In the lower right corner of the banknote, you can find the holographic number 100, which changes color from copper to green. On the reverse side is a large gold number 100.

Franklin's collar reads THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in small print and ONE HUNDRED USA along the feather. The protective strip glows pink in the ultraviolet, it has the inscriptions USA and 100 on it. Also, a blue stripe is woven into the bill, along which, when tilted, the inscription 100 and images of bells move.

Suitable release years for the series are 2009 and 2009A.