The cow story has become a legend around the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. It seems a farmer lost his wallet while he was plowing his field. The story has a happy ending for the farmer, if not the cow. It's all in a day's work for the folks who not only print the nation's money but also are called upon to replace millions of dollars in damaged greenbacks each year. The most common causes of damage are fire, water, chemicals, explosives, animals, insects and rodents.
Problems also arise when currency deteriorates or petrifies when it is buried.
The bureau's caseload often increases when there are natural disasters, such as the recent floods in the Midwest, and the wildfires that ravaged some Western states last year. The government has some rules for paying people the full value for damaged greenbacks. More than 50 percent of a note identified as genuine U.S. currency must be present, or 50 percent or less can be present as long as the Treasury is satisfied that the missing portions have been totally destroyed. Officials do that by looking at the method of mutilation and any supporting evidence. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing handles only cases involving currency and tends to deal with greenbacks in pretty bad shape.