I had heard at one time that color copiers had some kind of feature that would cause them not to make copies of paper currency. I didn’t have easy access to a color copier at the time, but it sounded like BS, so I just filed that tidbit away.
Recently our office got a new Xerox color copier, and there’s a friend of mine (his name is Joey Jojo Junior Shabado, for the Simpsons-literate among you) who tried it, of course only in search of scientific knowledge. He copied an older-style one dollar bill and a ten dollar bill with no problems. But when he tried to copy two of the new-design bills (a five and a twenty), the copier refused! Its display put up an icon of a bill with a 100 on it, and a diagonal line across it, and a message something like “Copy prohibited.” He even placed the new twenty above and below the other bills to try to fool it, but it still refused to copy a new bill.
So how do they do this? Is there a certain color that they’re looking for, or does it have the image of each bill stored in memory? This would be hard to do, since it would need to recognize bills at different orientations, states of being discolored, etc. Plus, the copier is at least a couple of months old, and and it already refused to copy a new five, which I saw for the first time just a week or so ago.
That’s one of the reasons they came out with new bills. So your friend can’t muck about with the new technology copiers and cheat the IRS out of their just desserts. Take a new bill and see if the copier will copy it if you cover up the vertical anti-copy device embedded in it.
I don’t think there is a “vertical anti-copy device” in the bill. All newer copiers are required to have an anti money copying computer chip in the printer or copier. The computer chip knows what the money looks like. This has been the law since cannon released a cheap color copier or printer that would make almost perfect copies of US money. Many people found out that this printer would copy money and were using it to do just that. This was big news in the computer industry a few years ago.
Try putting a blank piece of paper on the copier glass, then put one of the new bills on top of that. If the copier still detects it’s a banknote even without being able to scan it, then it must be picking up on something in the paper. You could also try folding the bill in half, to see if you can just copy parts of it. If the detector is optically based, you can find out how much of the image is required to trigger it.
The colour copier in the university copy shop where I used to work refused to copy currency from several different countries, passports, and even postage stamps (which was a major hassle when the copy guru wanted to copy philately magazines). Don’t ask me how it knew.
Don’t screw with it. It is seriously against the Law. Federal law, big time prison. It is illegal even if done just for 'fun" or for “experimentation”.
How sure are you that your were not videotaped doing it? That was a big 9+ on the stupid scale.
I’d like to read that law if you don’t mind. I have no doubt that you are correct, but I can’t seem to find it myself. If you could just help me out please?
tc, it is called 'counterfeiting", and you can use a search engine for US Code, and “counterfeiting” or “currency”. I’ll look it up tomorrow at work, tho. “Intent” is important, but still you can get sent up even if you did not “pass” and claim you never intended to. However, if you make a copy in such a way that it is claerly a copy (ie. way bigger or smaller), then it is OK.
In any case, risking even just a Federal arrest, for just screwing around, is real stupid. I am sure you could be fired, also.
It is Title 18 Us Code, but it is not under “counterfeiting”, as that has “intent”, but there is another section (at least one) which forbids “keeping” such copies- true the Penalty is only 1 year, instead of the 15 or so for actual counterfieting, but that is enuf to keep me from screwing around.
I have a good idea what it is called, thanks. And I have a pretty fair idea that it is covered in Title 18 of the United States Code. The sections specific to paper currency are Sections 471 thru 474, but are by no means all of the regulations.
"Federal Reserve Indicators. A new seal represents the entire Federal Reserve System. The letter and number under the left serial number identify the issuing Federal Reserve Bank.
A larger, off-center portrait allows room for a watermark.
Security Thread.
A vertically embedded thread at the far left of the portrait indicates the $20 denomination. The words “USA TWENTY” and a flag can be seen from both sides against a light. The number “20” appears in the star field of the flag. The thread glows green under an ultraviolet light.
Watermark. A watermark identical to the portrait is visible from both sides against a light.
Color-Shifting Ink. The number in the lower right corner on the front of the note looks green when viewed straight on, but black at an angle.
Serial Numbers. An additional letter is added to the serial number.
Low-Vision Feature. The large numeral on the back of the $20 note is easy to read.
Fine Line Printing. Patterns The fine lines printed behind the portrait and building are difficult to replicate.
Microprinting. “The United States of America” is on the lower edge ornamentation of the oval framing the portrait. On the front of the note, “USA 20“ is repeated within the number in the lower left corner.
So TC’s probably pinned down why photocopiers won’t accept dollar bills and I can see how that might work for different country’s given that most have their currency printed by a few world orientated specialist printers (all with the tech built in) but what about Matt’s postage stamps.
Do stamps fall within the legal definition of counterfeiting ? and I don’t see all the characteristics of the cash money around the little lickable picture of the Queen – how would the copier deal with stamps ?
Originally posted by Danielinthewolvesden
Don’t screw with it. It is seriously against the Law. Federal law, big time prison. It is illegal even if done just for 'fun" or for “experimentation”.
How sure are you that your were not videotaped doing it? That was a big 9+ on the stupid scale.
See, if they didn’t ‘keep’ it and had no intent to commit a crime with it? But never mind. I am picking nits, ungraciously, while you are trying to be helpful. I apologize. No hard feelings?
Ok, so I was with a friend the other day and he took out one of the new fives and removed the security thread. He said something to the effect that the government is using them to count how much money you have when you go through airports. I assume he meant the metal detectors. I am quite sure that he was kidding as he is not really into conspiracy theories and hasn’t said anything about black helicopters chasing him or anything. He probably read something on a.f.c.a.
But, this discussion thread started me wondering. If a copier won’t copy the bills even if they are on top of a piece of paper then it can’t be detecting it with optical recognition but must be sensing something else like the thread. So, if that is the case wouldn’t it be possible to detect money in envelopes or even pockets?
I think that the thread just glows bright enough that it can be seen even when it is on top of other paper and the copier is sensing that particular wavelength of light. This doesn’t explain Matt’s copier not copying pictures of stamps though.
I’d be interested to know if a color copier would copy a new bill with the thread removed and/or the thread itself.
I looked into this once & talked to the bank & Kinkos. Kinkos won’t let you copy money. Next door is another NEW copy store & the guy said sure, you can copy money. I was just asking.
You can copy one side of a bill, not both, also, you can copy both sides as long as its more than 50% larger or smaller that a regular one. That’s why you see huge $1000 notes for scratchpaper.
I still say its not the thread in the bill that prevents copying. So get a 20 and pull out the thread and try to copy it at your new copy machine. A small tear in the bill above the thread will allow you to easily pull it out.