Counterfeit Detection: 2006 United States $1 Federal Reserve Note

This month’s article examines a 2006 United States $1 Federal Reserve Note (Friedberg# 1933-A). The note appears to have a rare double error – there is overprint on the back of the note and that overprint is inverted. This error occurs when a sheet enters the overprint press upside down and backwards.

United States $1 Federal Reserve Note, Friedberg# 1933-A, front Click image to enlarge.

United States $1 Federal Reserve Note, Friedberg# 1933-A, back Click image to enlarge.

The note exhibits one major flaw – when a sheet enters the press upside down, the overprint is printed on the back only; there should be no overprint on the front of the note. The authenticity of this error is suspect at a glance. The images below demonstrate other problems, that collectors should always be on the lookout for.

“G” on the front of the note (left); “G” in the overprint on back (right) Click images to enlarge.

The difference in fonts between the overprints on the front and back of the note is obvious. The fake “G” is wider and the tail is left-aligned rather than centered. Under high magnification, the grainy, dot-like texture of the ink on the fake print becomes apparent. Avid readers of our monthly articles may now be able to associate this texture with inkjet printing.

Front of the note under specialized lighting Click image to enlarge.

Back of the note under specialized lighting Click image to enlarge.

Compared to the genuine ink on the front of the note, the overprint on the back looks different under specialized light sources. Though we could say with certainty that this error was not genuine by taking a close look at the overprint, these images affirm that the ink in question is not genuine.

Collectors could spot this alteration with a keen eye and a loupe. For all notes, the knowledge and expertise of our graders can be trusted to authenticate genuine notes and spot counterfeits. Any note graded and encapsulated by PMG is backed by the PMG Guarantee of grade and authenticity.

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• Error Is Human Part I
• Error Is Human Part II
• Counterfeit Detection: Iraq Pick# 14
• Counterfeit Detection: Hong Kong 2007 10 Dollar Banknote
• Counterfeit Detection: So Many Alterations, So Little Time
• Counterfeit Detection: Is that “1” a fake?
• Counterfeit Detection: Shedding Light on a Faked Error Note