# Tennessee woman arrested for printing own money after reading online Obama had made it legal **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 14, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162 "2015-07-14T18:55:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/21 "2015-07-16T18:40:47Z")
Wait, she printed a fake $5? She should have printed a fake $3 bill. Harder to compare against the real McCoy. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/22 "2015-07-16T18:56:04Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > What the hell is she using for a news source? My WAG is that she read something somewhere that said, welfare is like giving poor people a license to print money. Something similar to that and it wouldn’t take much of a leap to get to “I can print my own money”. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/23 "2015-07-16T19:37:52Z")
> [@Alex\_from\_CB](#): > > The sad part is that she’s The President of The University of Tennessee. That’s actually a good thing - she can do her community service on Satuday mornings and go straight to the game without changing clothes. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/24 "2015-07-16T19:55:15Z")
> [@Alex\_from\_CB](#): > > The sad part is that she’s The President of The University of Tennessee. She looks different on her [bio page](http://president.tennessee.edu/bio/index.html). More mannish. And her name is spelled differently. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/25 "2015-07-16T20:02:11Z")
Still doesn’t beat the counterfeiter who cuts the corners off a $20 bill and glued them onto a $1 bill, thus producing a fake twenty. For a cost of $21. No doubt, if he got away with it, he would make up the difference on volume. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/26 "2015-07-16T20:08:37Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Still doesn’t beat the counterfeiter who cuts the corners off a $20 bill and glued them onto a $1 bill, thus producing a fake twenty. For a cost of $21. No doubt, if he got away with it, he would make up the difference on volume. > > Regards, > Shodan Umm, no. One corner per bill, giving you $80 in fakes for $24. It’s all in the presentation… ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/27 "2015-07-16T20:15:15Z")
A bill has four corners, unless I am missing your point. I always count the change, myself. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/28 "2015-07-16T20:29:48Z")
I think the point, although **beowulff** didn’t get it right, is that the counterfeiter may have cut the four corners from four different $20 bills, thus leaving each of those four twenties still spendable. So he could have used one $1 bill and had four $20 that were still spendable (plus the fake twenty) so his total cost to make a $20 is $1. That’s a $19 profit. Not that this would work, mind you. The picture of Washington on the supposed twenty would be a giveaway. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/29 "2015-07-16T20:56:44Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Not that this would work, mind you. The picture of Washington on the supposed twenty would be a giveaway. But now that we are encouraged to print our own bills with our own choice of Significant Historic Personage on it, it’s harder to go by the picture any more. For example, I’ve been printing my $5 lately with the likeness of Richard T. James(\*), whom nobody recognizes, so everybody just lets it pass rather than question it and put their ignorance on display. (\*) Inventor of the Slinky. As for the counterfeiter discussed in the OP: She is even stupider than we thought. Her real (and greater) stupidity was her failure to properly spend her money _in some place where you are surrounded by people even more stupid._ ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/30 "2015-07-16T21:22:51Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > But now that we are encouraged to print our own bills with our own choice of Significant Historic Personage on it, it’s harder to go by the picture any more. For example, I’ve been printing my $5 lately with the likeness of Richard T. James(\*), whom nobody recognizes, so everybody just lets it pass rather than question it and put their ignorance on display. > > (\*) Inventor of the Slinky. The giveaway is when you drop the bill on the floor and it walks down the stairs. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/31 "2015-07-16T21:36:58Z")
I actually think I read about the counterfeit thing on Snopes or some similar site once. So she likely got it from an e-mail forward or from the modern equivalent, Facebook. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/32 "2015-07-17T13:30:24Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I think the point, although **beowulff** didn’t get it right, is that the counterfeiter may have cut the four corners from four different $20 bills, thus leaving each of those four twenties still spendable. So he could have used one $1 bill and had four $20 that were still spendable (plus the fake twenty) so his total cost to make a $20 is $1. That’s a $19 profit. > > Not that this would work, mind you. The picture of Washington on the supposed twenty would be a giveaway. Actually, I have seen this done, and done well. It’s not terribly uncommon. **davidm** and **beowulff** are correct, it requires one $1 bill and four $20 bills (hey, it takes money to make money - literally in this case). I won’t go into the exact method, 'cause it’s quite illegal, but in the end one has 4 damaged, but still legal and redeemable $20’s and one highly illegal counterfeit $20 with a picture of George Washington. This scam is the reason that we taught our bank tellers to count bills by the picture in the center, not the numbers on the corners. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/33 "2015-07-17T13:47:14Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > A bill has four corners, unless I am missing your point. I always count the change, myself. > > Regards, > Shodan You cut one corner off of four $20 bills. Each $20 bill is still good. You take the 4 corners and one $1 bill to make a fake $20. $81, returns $100. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/34 "2015-07-17T15:25:46Z")
The bar I drink at has a bad twenty on display. It looks pretty OK, but feels nothing like real money. The counterfeiter apparently came in during a busy happy hour, bought a cheap bottle of beer and took off with his change. Seems like a lot of work/risk with a poor return on investment. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/35 "2015-07-17T15:31:29Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > This scam is the reason that we taught our bank tellers to count bills by the picture in the center, not the numbers on the corners. And itself a part of the reasons for the change to a large unframed picture on everything 5 dollars and above, while leaving the one and two dollar notes unimproved. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/36 "2015-07-17T15:39:40Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > And itself a part of the reasons for the change to a large unframed picture on everything 5 dollars and above, while leaving the one and two dollar notes unimproved. Are two dollar notes even printed anymore? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/37 "2015-07-17T15:55:56Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Are two dollar notes even printed anymore? I heard you can just print them yourself, if you want to. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/38 "2015-07-17T16:09:14Z")
I suppose you could make them from ones with corners from twenties; just cut off the zeros. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/39 "2015-07-17T16:22:04Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > I heard you can just print them yourself, if you want to. To maintain $2 value after some years of inflation, you need to start printing [these](http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/uncyclopedia/images/9/95/Pibill.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/180). ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162/40 "2015-07-17T16:37:41Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Are two dollar notes even printed anymore? Yes, from time to time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennessee-woman-arrested-for-printing-own-money-after-reading-online-obama-had-made-it-legal/725162.md?page=3)