Found a strange dollar bill the when I folded it in my money clip it was bigger then the rest of the bills. The ridges by George's head are present, so i do not believe it is fake. Picture showing its print and cut size are bigger. Is this uncommon?
If the surface tension hypothesis is right, you ought to be able to do the same thing by dipping a bill repeatedly in water and drying it. But of course, "weird tricks with water" won't get as many YouTube clicks as "weird tricks with ANHYDROUS AMMONIA". "Why yes, nice gentlemen in suits and sunglasses, I DO have a tank of anhydrous ammonia. Meth? Oh, no, no, I'm not making any controlled substances. I'm just using it to alter US currency. Wait, I mean -"
Seeing how US currency is 25% linen and 75% cotton, I would surmise that a wet bill could shrink to some degree in the dryer just like clothes can.
At least you have dollars to shrink. My all shrunk away a long time ago...only have pocket change now. Bruce
Again, you could probably soak a note in water and apply tension, not unlike you could with jean stretchers.
That is what I was wondering. The only thing I can think of is a miscut at the mint. Or a sheet that was miscut at home. I wonder if there are any variations allowed and how much.
That was my first thought - before I saw the pictures. The design is stretched, too, not just the margins.