# Water-logged money **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 2, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-logged-money/694655 "2014-08-02T17:24:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-logged-money/694655/1 "2014-08-02T17:24:04Z")
I am a lawyer who does a lot of probate and estate work who has an interesting problem I’d like the Teaming Millions to consider, namely, how to restore the contents of metal box full of cash. The box is about as big as a shoebox and was stored in the basement which flooded. The money got drenched and is all stuck and fused together. I’ve no idea how much is there, or how to salvage it. While it is a nice problem to have, this isn’t an issue they covered in law school or any continuing legal education seminar I’ve been to. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-logged-money/694655/2 "2014-08-02T17:27:07Z")
Set the lump out on a screen and let it dry. Apply heat from a blow dryer to localized areas and slowly loosen the bills. They should eventually come apart if you take your time. Money is cloth, so the bills should remain as discrete units. ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-logged-money/694655/3 "2014-08-02T17:43:22Z")
Can’t you trade in damaged bills to the US Mint or something? Maybe they could weigh/measure the money to verify how much it is. ---
**Author:** ![calmondo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@calmondo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calmondo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-logged-money/694655/4 "2014-08-02T17:54:39Z")
This should answer the question. The Bureau of Engraving offers a service. > **[The Faces on Every US Bill](https://www.thoughtco.com/faces-on-us-currency-4153995)** > > A profile of the faces gracing every U.S. bill. Who decides which national dignitary appears on which currency and how do they make the cut? > **[Home | Engraving & Printing](https://www.bep.gov/)** ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-logged-money/694655/5 "2014-08-02T18:19:39Z")
You didn’t say whether the lump of money had dried out. It it is dry, just soak it in water again, until it is thoroughly soaked thhrough. The bills should come apart easily when they are wet. Rare 150-year old stamps are routinely removed from envelopes just soaking them for a few minutes, the stamps then dry out flat and in perfect condition. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-logged-money/694655/6 "2014-08-02T21:22:24Z")
You guys are all brilliant. I’ll have the executor these. Thanks a bunch! ---
**Author:** ![Fishtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ed655f/32.png) [@Fishtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fishtar)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-logged-money/694655/7 "2014-08-02T22:09:45Z")
Soaking the bills in denatured alcohol should work too. The ink is not alcohol soluble. Should allow the bills to separate, lay flat, then quickly dry. Might want to do a quick test in case I am wrong… ---
**Author:** ![ALOHA\_HATER](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@ALOHA\_HATER](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ALOHA_HATER)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-logged-money/694655/8 "2014-08-03T00:46:33Z")
Banks will accept your mutilated currency for deposit/change them for good bills. Once we had dog-chewed bills come in and changed the ones we could. The ones that were too far gone to evaluate (salvaged from the dog’s excretions) were sent to the gov’t for counting and the BEP (or treasury? don’t remember) cut the customer a check.