DOLLARS IN DETAILYOUR GUIDE TO U.S. CURRENCY

uscurrency.gov

The Federal Reserve Board issues$1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 notes.
The U.S. government periodicallyredesigns Federal Reserve notes to makethem easier to use but more diﬀicult tocounterfeit. The current style of notes isshown in this brochure.

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How to Check U.S. Currency:
Open the page on this side to learn more.

Authenticate U.S. Currency: Feel, Tilt, Check

To check the security features in U.S. currency, feel the paper, tilt the note, and check with light and with magnification.

Feel
the paper

Move your finger across the note. It should
feel slightly rough to the touch as a result of
the intaglio printing process and the uniquecomposition of the paper. U.S. currency paper
is a blend of 75 percent cotton and 25
percent linen.

Tilt
the note

Color-shifting ink. Tilt the note to see the ink
in the numbers on the lower right cornerchange color from copper to green on
denominations of $10 and higher. The Bell inthe Inkwell on the $100 note also changes
from copper to green.
3-D Security Ribbon. The $100 note features
a blue 3-D Security Ribbon with images ofbells and 100s. When you tilt the note backand forth, the bells and 100s in the ribbon
move from side to side. When you tilt the notefrom side to side, the bells and 100s move up
and down. The 3-D Security Ribbon is woven
into the paper, not printed on it.

Checkwith light

Security thread. Hold the note to light to see
a security thread embedded vertically on
denominations $5 and higher. The thread isembedded in a diﬀerent position for each
denomination and glows a diﬀerent color
when held to ultraviolet (UV) light. The
security thread is visible from both sides ofthe note.
Watermark. Hold the note to light to see afaint image to the right of the portrait on
denominations $5 and higher. Watermarks
are visible from both sides of the note. On
denominations $10 and higher, thewatermark matches the portrait. The $5 note
has two watermarks, both of the numeral 5.

Check withmagnification

Microprinting. Microprinting is featured inseveral locations on denominations $5 andhigher and can aid in authentication. Thesesmall printed words, which may requiremagnification to see, should be clear.
Microprinting corresponds to thedenomination or contains phrases such as“THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “USA,” or“E PLURIBUS UNUM.”
Red and blue fibers. The paper in genuine
U.S. currency has small red and blue security
fibers embedded throughout.

Federal Reserve Note Identifiers
Each Federal Reserve note includes identifiers. Federal Reserve identifiers serve a variety ofpurposes, like designating when a note was printed and which plate was used to print the note.

1

Serial number. Each note has a uniqueserial number. The first letter of the serial
number corresponds to the series year.
E = 2004

L = 2009A

G = 2004A

M = 2013

I = 2006

N = 2017

4

Capital letters following the series year
appear when there is a significant change
in the note's appearance, change to thesignatures of the Secretary of theTreasury or the Treasurer, or when there
has been a significant gap in production
times for a note.

J = 2009

23

Federal Reserve indicators. Each note
has a letter and number designation that
corresponds to one of the 12 Federal
Reserve Banks (such as A1 = Boston,B2 = New York). The letter of each Federal
Reserve indicator matches the second
letter of the serial number on the note.

Face and back plate number. The faceplate and back plate numbers identify thespecific printing plates used to print theface and back of the note. The face plate
number is found on the face of the noteand the back plate number is found on
the back of the note. (Back plate number
not shown.)

Series year. The series year indicates theyear in which a new design was approvedby the Secretary of the Treasury, or theyear in which the signature of a new
secretary was incorporated into thedesign.

5Note position letter and number. Thenote position letter and number indicate
in which position on a plate a note wasprinted. It is a combination of one letterand one number and can be found on thefront of the note.

For more information on note identifiers, visit uscurrency.gov

$100 Note, Issued in 2013

$50 Note, Issued in 2004

35

5

3

1

1
2

2
E

CFBCA

1

G4Feel

D1E4AB

DTilt

FeelTilt

ABCDA

B

Raised printing

3-D Security Ribbon

Color-shifting
Bell in the Inkwell

Color-shifting
numeralRaised printing

Color-shifting numeral

Check with light

Check with magnification

Check with light

Check with magnification

EEFGCCDE

Security thread

UV security thread

Watermark of
Benjamin Franklin

Microprinting

Security thread

UV security thread

Watermark of
Ulysses S. Grant

Microprinting

$20 Note, Issued in 2003

$10 Note, Issued in 2006

312

1

32
C

DC

D1B

A

5414A

5B

EE

FeelTilt

FeelTilt

ABABRaised printing

Color-shifting numeral

Raised printing

Color-shifting numeral

Check with light

Check with magnification

Check with light

Check with magnification

CCDECCDE

Security thread

UV security thread

Watermark of
Andrew Jackson

Microprinting

Security thread

UV security thread

Watermark of
Alexander Hamilton

Microprinting

$5 Note, Issued in 2008

12E

CDB

153A

4Feel

Check with magnification

AB

Raised printing

Microprinting

Check with lightCC

DE

Security thread

UV security thread

Watermark ofnumeral 5

Watermark ofnumeral 5s

Counterfeit Reporting
Do you know what to do with suspect counterfeits?
Become familiar with your organization’s
counterfeit-reporting procedures and learn what to do ifyou suspect you have a counterfeit note. This may
include notifying your manager, contacting local law
enforcement, or contacting the appropriate oﬀice of theUnited States Secret Service.

uscurrency.gov

Item #806 · 2018