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Chapter 15 Document and Handwriting Analysis. “The handwriting on the wall may be a forgery” — Ralph Hodgson, British poet. The first currency. Was issued in about 600 B.C. in Lydia as a coin called the Lydia lion . It was made from a mixture of gold and silver called electrum.
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Chapter 15Document and HandwritingAnalysis “The handwriting on the wall may be a forgery” —Ralph Hodgson, British poet
The first currency • Was issued in about 600 B.C.in Lydia as a coin called the Lydia lion. • It was made from a mixture of gold and silver called electrum. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Coins and the King • Since coins were minted by order of the king, it was considered treason to produce counterfeits. • Counterfeiters were subject to the most severe forms of the death penalty such as being boiled in oil. • In addition, all the property owned by the counterfeiters became the property of the crown. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
1774 • In 1774, the British tried to stop the American war for independence by making U.S. currency worthless. • They set up printing presses on their warships in New York harbor and hired printers to come aboard at night to print copies of the various currencies issued by the United States. • The effort was successful enough to cause a huge devaluation of the U.S. currency. • The counterfeiting did not, however, affect the final outcome of the war. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Money was cumbersome • General George Washington complained that it required a wheelbarrow full of money to buy a wheelbarrow full of food. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Counterfeiting • As soon as the first coins were made, the first counterfeits also appeared. • Coins made from a cheap imitation mixture of copper and zinc started showing up. • Copper and zinc is simply brass. • Counterfeiting money is one of the oldest crimes known. • It was a serious problem in the 19th century, when banks issued their own currency. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
1862 • The U.S. congress authorized the U.S. Treasury to print the first “greenbacks” or paper currency that we are familiar with today. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
1863 • The United States adopted a national currency but counterfeiting was still extensive. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
1865 • Congress established the U.S. Secret Service(USSS)to combat the counterfeiting of U.S. paper currency that was undermining public confidence in the new money. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
A Danger to the Nation’s Economy • Although counterfeiting has substantially decreased since the creation of the Secret Service, this crime continues to be a potential danger to the nation’s economy and citizens. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Production methods used in counterfeiting operations have evolved over the years from the traditional method of offset printing to color copiers, scanners, computers, and inkjet printers. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Currency Changes • U.S. currency has been changed over the past several years, beginning in 1996, to help thwart the efforts of counterfeiters, who are using the new technologies to copy money. • The government has added new features to U.S. bills to save citizens and businesses from being victims of counterfeiters. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Initially made of linen and paper Red and blue silk threads Intaglio printing Initially U.S. currency had threemain security features that made in hard to copy: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
1. The currency is printed on a mixture of linenand paper – not just paper • Paper is derived from wood pulp, which yields very short, course fibers. • Linen is derived from the much longer, stronger fibers of the flax plant. • It is much more durable than paper and has a completely different feel. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
2. The linen is mixed with red and blue silkthreads or fibers • These are very hard to copy and make it very easy to spot counterfeit. • Often counterfeiters try to fake the look of these fibers by printing tiny red and blue lines on their paper. • Close inspection reveals, that on the counterfeit note the lines are printed on the surface not embedded in the paper. • It is illegal to reproduce the distinctive paper used in the manufacturing of U.S. currency. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
3. The printing process is unique and called intaglio • The Bureau prints currency on high speed, sheet-fed rotary presses which are capable of printing over 8,000 sheets per hour. • Printing plates are covered with ink and then the surface of each plate is wiped clean which allows the ink to remain in the design and letter grooves of the plates. • Each sheet is then forced under extremely heavy pressure (20 tons) into the finely recessed lines of the printing plate to pick up the ink. • The printing impression is three dimensional in effect and requires the combined handiwork of highly skilled artists, steel engravers, and plate printers. • ***The surface of the note feels slightly raised, while the reverse side feels slightly indented. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
The light screen on the Note Check 3 is flat and smooth which provides the perfect base for checking the intaglio print (raised print which can be felt by running the finder over the note). Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
The Supplier • The paper used to make U.S. currency comes from Craneand Company, Dalton, MA. • They supply enough paper to the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing to print about 9 billionnotes each year. • The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing prints about 37 million notes per day, which are shipped to the 12 regional Federal Reserve banks. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
In the past, it required a skilled engraver to scribe the lines in metal plates needed to counterfeit U.S. currency. • In one famous case, handled by the USSS in 1876, Abraham Lincoln’s body was almost stolen. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
The Nations Largest counterfeitingring. . . • Was located in Chicago. • The counterfeiter’s master engraver was a man by the name of Ben Boyd. • When he was captured and imprisoned by the USSS, the whole Chicago operation ground to a halt. • The gangsters were so dependent on Boyd’s abilities that they came up with an outrageous idea. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
They decided to sneak into Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, where Lincoln’s coffin was kept on display, and steal the president’s body and hold it for ransom. • They planned to return the body only if the authorities freed Ben Boyd. • Luckily, the would-be grave robbers had an informant in their group, and the authorities chased the robbers from the gravesite before the president’s body was removed. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
1990 vs. Today • 1990 - Less than 1% of all counterfeit U.S. currency was produced using a digital printer. • Today - More than 40% of all counterfeit U.S. currency is produced using a digital printer. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Genuine vs. Counterfeit Is it or is it not? Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Genuine vs. Counterfeit • On a genuine note, the fine border lines are clear and unbroken. • On a counterfeit bill, the lines in the outer margin and scrollwork may be blurred or indistinct. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Genuine serial numbers have a distinctive style and are evenly spaced and are re printed in the same ink color as the Treasury seal. • On a counterfeit bill, the serial numbers may differ in color or shade of ink from the Treasury seal • The numbers may not be uniformly spaced or aligned. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
On a genuine bill, the saw-tooth points of the Federal Reserve and Treasury seals are clear, distinct, and sharp. • The counterfeit seals may have uneven, blunt, or broken saw-tooth points. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
The genuine portrait appears lifelike and stands out distinctly from the background. • The counterfeit portrait is usually lifeless and flat. • Details merge into the background, which is often too dark or mottled. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Digital imaging and color copies has prompted the U.S. to add additional security items in U.S. currency New Security Features
Security thread 1. does not photocopy 2. fluoresces under U.V. light • On new notes – thread is positioned differently in different notes. • $5.00 glows blue • $10.00 glows orange • $20.00 glows green • $50.00 glows yellow • $100.00 glows red. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
micro-printing • consists of very fine lines and small words that cause patterns that interfere with light transmission and therefore cannot be photocopied. • $5.00 – side borders and along the lower edge of the portrait’s frame. • $10.00 – in the number “10” in lower left hand corner along the lower edge of the portrait’s frame • 1996 $20.00 - in the lower left corner numeral and along the lower edge ornamentation of the oval framing of the portrait. • $50.00 – appears on the side borders and in Ulysses Grant’s collar. • $100.00 - appears in the lower left corner numeral and on Benjamin Franklin’s coat. • In 1990, 1993, and 1995 series notes – “The United States of America” is printed repeatedly in a line outside the portrait frame. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Watermark • Is formed by varying paper density. • Is a design incorporated during the manufacturing process by reducing the number of fibers within a certain patterned area. • Darker and lighter areas when held up to the light. • Does not copy on color copiers or scanners. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Color-shifting inks • Used in the numeral on the lower right corner of the face of the note. • Change color when the note is viewed from different angles. • Turns from green to black when tilted Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Fineline printing patterns • Appears normal to human eye • Found behind the portrait on the front and around the historic building on the back. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Enlarged off-centerportraits • Larger portrait incorporates more detail. • Provides ‘lanes’ for the security thread. • Provides room for a watermark. • Reduces wear on most of the portrait caused by folding. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Low-vision feature • 1996 - $20.00 and $50.00 notes • 1999 - $5.00 and $10.00 notes • Have a large dark numeral on a light background on the lower right corner of the back. • A machine readable feature has been incorporated for the blind. • It will facilitate development of scanning devices that could identify the denomination of the note for the blind. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Nowadays . . . • The greatest percentage of counterfeit money is found abroad. • There is about $480 billion in U.S. currency, and about two thirds of it is overseas. • U.S. currency is the de facto currency for many countries. • About 80% of the counterfeit U.S. currency seized abroad comes from Columbia. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Staying ahead of the game • The federal government plans a new design every 7 – 10years to try to stay one step ahead of technology. • Two possibilities include adding: • A hologram • Switching to clear plastic instead of paper. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
The U.S. Secret Serviceis the expert on questioned documents. The USSS has the largest collection of inksin the world that can be used for comparison.
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