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On several occassions I have acquired examples of counterfeit paper money for my own personal collection. In most cases, with examples I have seen and have acquired, the knock-offs are poorly produced. The wrong type of paper is used and more often than not, they are copies of some kind.

Last week I encountered a different animal alltogether. At a courthouse in NY (I point that out because it is the last place you would expect to find a counterfeit) I acquired what I am almost certain is an incredibly well produced counterfeit 1999 $10 bill. Here is what sets this bill apart...

1. The bill is printed on a cotton paper with the "strands" in it. As such, the pens usually used to detect counterfeits will not react with it. The only tip off is that the paper "feels" different from the norm.

2. The bill has been artificially worn, probably by putting it through a washing machine, in an attempt to disquise minor differences in paper color and feel.

3. The bill is the wrong size. It is somewhat smaller than a real 1999 $10 bill. The paper size is smaller and the design itself is between 1/8 and 1/4 inch smaller than a normal bill.

4. The bill has the anti-counterfeit strip running through it!

5. The quality of the printing is lower than on a normal bill and there is a substantial amount of bleeding on the paper.

6. Some of the ink colors are just a little off.

As time permits, I will be taking photos of the bill. For those wondering, although I went back and forth on the issue, I believe I intend to turn this bill into the authorities.