Do counterfeit detector pens work?

Counterfeit detection pens are not always accurate and may give you false results. A counterfeit note cannot be exchanged for a genuine one, and it is illegal to knowingly pass counterfeit currency.

What color should a counterfeit pen turn?

The pen reacts to starch contained in most paper sold around the world. Real U.S. currency paper does not contain starch. So if the bill is real, the ink turns yellow. But if it’s fake, it will turn a dark blue or black.

Can a counterfeit pen be wrong?

The reason why this type of counterfeit detector is not reliable is because it is extremely simple for counterfeiters to replicate bills on the cotton fiber paper used to print real currency. In addition, there’s the issue with new valid currency forms that will also not be picked up by a pen.

Can counterfeit money pass the pen test?

When someone uses the pen, the fakers solution can also cause counterfeit bills to pass a pen test. A second approach used to fake the pen is to use bleached lower denomination banknotes.

What is a 1950 100 dollar bill worth?

Most 1950 series $100 star notes are worth around $225 in very fine condition. In extremely fine condition the value is around $300. In uncirculated condition the price is around $975 for notes with an MS 63 grade. Star notes issued from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas will sell for more money.

How does a counterfeit detector pen work?

The counterfeit detector pen is extremely simple. It contains an iodine solution that reacts with the starch in wood-based paper to create a black stain. When the solution is applied to the fiber-based paper used in real bills, no discoloration occurs.

What is a counterfeit detector?

A counterfeit detector pen is a felt tip pen containing an iodine solution that can be used to help identify computer-generated counterfeit bills. According to U.S. Secret Service data, “funny money” generated by criminals using computers and ordinary printers accounted for only one-half of 1 percent of the counterfeit bills confiscated in 1995.

How does a counterfeit money pen work?

A counterfeit money pen contains a solution that detects starch in counterfeit paper money. In the United States, legitimate paper currency is not bound with starch in the manner that standard paper is and, therefore, contains either little or no starch at all.

What color does the counterfeit pen turn?

The pen contains a tincture of iodine as ink which, when drawn over a legitimate bill, will remain amber or brown. According to one manufacturer the ink will turn black if the bill is counterfeit.