Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-10-15
COUNTERFEIT NOTES
TREASURY DETECTIVES GIVE
WARNING OF BAD NOTES.
1 MpLE RULES FOR DETECTION
Large Quantities of Counterfeit Money
Being Shipped to the Middle West
for Distribution New Note is a
Photographic Reproduction.

Photographic Reproduction.
This morning there was received in
Ottumwa a circular from unitedl
States treasury counterfeit detectives
giving warning against new live dol
lar national bank note that has been
issued from the plates OF the counter
feiters and it is said has been shipped
in large numbers for distribution IN
the middle west, and people here
should be ON their guard against ac-
cepting it.
The circular of warning reads as fol-
lows:
New counterfeit S. national bank
note. Series 1882 Check letter b.
This new counterfeit is on the wal
than national bank, Waltham, Mass,
bearing charter No 6SS, Check Letter
B. Treasury No. II, 5000, ii. Bank
No 6l49. scalioped seal, and the sig
natures Of B. X. Bruce, register OF the
treasury and A. U. Wyman treasurer
United States. This counterfeit is a
Photographic production, ana should
not deceive the careful handler OF
money. The treasury. also bank NUM-
Der OF note is tinted blue. we'll done,
the tinting of the seal poorly done,
and no attempt has been made to color
the panel on the back of note contain
ing charter No. 6S8. On all genuine
notes of series 1882 the panel is blush
green and rest oil back oil note a bright
reddish brown. This counterfeit is
printed on paper Of a fair quality, and
and the fibre initiated by ink lines,
I Credit is due Wallace H. Pratt. rcceiy-
ing teller of the United States Trust
Co., of Boston, Mass, for the detection
of this counterfeit
To Detect Counterfeits.
Here is a rule for detecting coun
terfeit United States notes as publish
ed in Dickeiman's United States Treas
ury Counterfeit Detective: "All unltet
States notes are printed in sheets O
four notes of one denomination OF
each sheet. Each note is lettered il
its respective order in the upper ant
lowe corners diagonally opposite A
B, C. d. The government has the fol
lowing system for numbering III
notes All number on being dividet
by IL. and leaving one for the re
mainder. have the check letter A. tw'
remainder. b; three remainder g; ey
en- numbers. or with no remainder ar
letter D. Any United States note, til
number upon which can be DIVIDE
without showing the above result
a counterfeit While this rule is no
infallible it will enable anyone TO de
tect a large number OF the counter
feits in circulation"
Three Tests of Genuineness.
For detecting counterfeit coins TIN
same authority says: Compare, i'm
press. size, weight, ring and genera
appearance with genuine coin 0
same period and coinage. The thre
tests of weight, diameter and thick
ness should be applied for it is a
most impossible for the counterfeite
to comply with these three test
without using genuine metal. Coin
of all kinds and denominations haV
been counterfeited. The most dal
gerous counterfeits are those struc
from die, and are usually imitation
of gold coins. Molds OF the var
GUS kinds are extensively used l
counterfeiting, but counterfeits $
made are much inferior to those mad
with a die. They have a fine appea
ance. lettering and milling BEN
sharp and clear, and the ring usua
1y good, in SMILES OF genuine. Ihe
are usually a trifle short weight, nov
ever. and the edges and reeding NJ
so sharp and clear as in genuin
Many of these coins are full weigh
In counterfeits made from mol
lettering, milling and reeding al
usually poor. weight very defectiy
the coins lack the sharp and clea
cut appearance OF genuine com
Most counterfeit silver coins in ci
culation are made from moids, as
lis an expensive form of counte
feiting. Some fair specimens ha'
been produced in this way, b
usually they are much lighter tn;
the genuine, and If OF require
weight, differ in diameter or tmcknes
Various methods are used by counte
letters, principally platinum, alum
mum, zinc, type metal, lead and the
numerous compositions.
Some Dangerous Specimens.
Among the most dangerous count'
feits of gold coin are those OF co
position of gold, silver and cope
They are of low grade gold, and t
acid test shows they lack the finene
of standard gold used by the Unit
States mint, which is 800 fine, or u
carats. These counterfeits ayera
from 400 to 500 fine. Platinum COZ
terfeits are dangerous, as the me
used gives required weight and tn
are heavily gold plated. When tn
have been in circulation for a til
the plating wears off. especially
the edges. The most dangerous col
terfeit of silver coin is made OF
composition of anthony and lead,
former metal predominating. This