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How to tell if a Dollar Bill is Real or Fake

In this instructable, I will show you how to tell if a dollar bill is real or fake, using household materials.

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Step 1You will Need...

You will need:
A dollar bill
Magnets

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8 comments

Feb 10, 2010. 10:06 AMchuckr44 says:

I'm in the US. I got a counterfeit $5 bill from Taco Bell as change. It looked like it was made as a joke by a kid with an inkjet printer, but it sure fooled the Taco Bell employees.

Feb 11, 2010. 5:23 PMwoody558 (author) says:

How do you know it is fake?

Jan 1, 2010. 8:29 AMmr.incredible says:

MICR has been around for about 30 years. Lemonie is right, why bother. The dollar is probably only worth $.15. The paper it's made from is worth more.

Jan 2, 2010. 5:59 PM

J@50n says:

its actually not made from paper. its a blend of cotton and linen.

Jan 1, 2010. 8:30 AM

nnygamer says:

But bleaching a $1 and printing a higher denomination on the blank would fool the magnetic test.

Jan 1, 2010. 3:01 PM

lemonie says:

You can't bleach magnetic materials to white and have them retain magnetic properties.

L

Jan 1, 2010. 3:15 AM

lemonie says:

Surely no one bothers counterfeiting 1$ bills?
Would you consider asking shop staff to wait while you got your magnet out and tested your change...?

L