Hello everyone, I am very new to coin collecting so please bear with me. I inherited from my mother a double printed 1981 $20 bill. The back side with the White House on it is normal, but the front side, with President Jackson on it, also has the back side stamp with the white house on it. The numbers on it are L 62900260 C and it says "Series 1981". To my amature eye it is in excellent condition: no tears or rips and no folded lines. If anyone could give me an estimated idea of what it is worth I would really appreciate it. Pictures are below. Thank you, Tricia
wait foor tbud to see this but i believe what happened is they stacked the bills after they were cut before it dryed. ive seen a few with images of the obverse on the reverse but i cant say i have seen the other way around, not that it doesnt happen. cody
You'll get better images to post if you can scan them at a high resolution. Can't tell anything definite from your pics.
This appears to be what is called an "offset printing error". I would agree that better images are needed. It is back to face light to med-light based on your image. The offsets can vary in degree of darkness as well as partial and full offsets (this one appears to be a full offset). Please place on a scanner if you have one and re-post image. Also your note appears to have some staining located at the bottom center on the note as it is evident from the reverse as well. It could be handling, moisture or any number of things. Scanned images will reveal more however any folds it may have in it could be hidden by the scanner as well. Please note if any paper folds are evident.
Let it first be known that people are want to criticize my initial doubts with threads such as these... Yes, scans. We have this mantra in the Paper Money threads, "we need scans of the note, of both sides, please." Photos, such as those presented in the OP, will not help us help you with this note. Even then, chances are most cannot certify the authenticity of the note you seek answered, but many here can help point you in the right directions if you choose to follow up with the advice. So, firstly, when handling the note, do not touch the note with bare hands as oils can transfer to the paper and add further damage to the note. Wear a thin, lint free glove, if you can, otherwise hold only from the edges and try minimize handling since an authentic note will carry a nice premium. Store the note in a safe dry place. Get a currency sleeve to store the note inside to protect it and keep notes out of direct intense light. Next, when scanning, place a sheet of dark paper behind the note to help define all margins of the note. Now, please look at the note again. The note is clearly not in "excellent condition" for even from these poor photos even the 'amateur eye' should still be able to see the large stain on the reverse center bottom margin. When we see the scans of the note, we may certainly find more conditional issues to cite in evaluation of the note. Until then, take the time to start researching the services of PMG and PCGS Currency for their ability to help you authentic this note. Why? Error notes are easy to fake with modern day digital printing capabilities and a good number of such notes parades around on various online auction sites in attempt to deceive both the informed and less informed collectors. True error notes command a good premium and are hard to come by, so there is a profit to exploit by faking them. For this reason and for the security of the collectors in the hobby, it is often wise to seek the advice of a third party grading company in these instances, and even more so if you're thinking of selling your note. A certified authentic error note is going to fare better and draw more attention and bids in a sale or auction from potential buyers who can be comforted by the idea that the note was certified authentic by a grading company recognized in the industry and amongst hobbyists. I look forward to seeing scans of this note as it seems to be a rather dynamic "error" and I welcome you and your question(s) to CoinTalk. Welcome. :smile
Assuming the error is genuine, this description as to how these errors happen is incorrect. As RickieB notes, this would be a full offset error. The backs of notes are printed first. One side of the sheet is contacted by the intaglio plate. The other side has a cloth piece behind it. If the press cycles without a sheet the image is transferred to the cloth sheet. When the next sheet comes through the press, the image that was transferred onto the cloth is then imprinted on the other side of the note. In other words, the sheet has the correct image on the back and a reverse image of the back on the face. The first sheet will have a strong image and on the subsequent sheets it will be weaker until it disappears altogether. The face is then printed over the reverse image of the back of the note. Sometimes you will see a what appears to be a crosshatch pattern in the offset error. This is caused by the weave of the cloth.
