Hunting The Elusive New $100 Bill

On October 8 the new US $100 bills (FRNs) were issued.  It took some time for me to find them!  They were supposed to be “ready” to be issued that day, but the two banks I went to that day had none.  The next day I was able to find another bank (“third one’s the charm”) that had two of them so I snapped them right up.  There already has been plenty written about the new C-Note (an old term for the $100 bill), so I will refer mostly to items NOT seen at the website that describes the new $100 is some detail:

newmoney.gov

As many of you know, I am now in Peru.  The whole issue of counterfeit money is a much bigger deal than in the USA.  All the banks that count bills, for example, not only count them but check each one to see if it is real or fake.  Those machines cost about $400 they told me…

Below is a photo of the front side of the new FRN.  One of the most visible changes is the vivid blue security strip that appears to “move when the bill is moved.  Also, the large colored “100” changes from green to gold color as the angle to light is changed.  Finally for me, what is especially useful is the “textured area” along Franklin’s right shoulder (left of his portrait, you can tell it is a bit rougher when you lightly rub your fingertip or mail across the lines.)

I would like to point out a couple of features that the new C-Note that they do and do not mention at the website.  They mention the microprinting on Franklin’s collar and at the border of the gold-colored quill along the white watermark area.  Indeed there is.  What they do NOT mention is that there is microprinting in many places all over the new C-Note.

This photo is the rear of the new C-Note:

It is quite different than the old one.  What you can see (with a 10 x loupe you can see it better) is the very small microprinting (letters not visible in the photo) along the narrow vertical edges on the left and the right as I point out above.  This feature is NOT mentioned at the website…, now you all know!

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These security features, while new to us, are NOT new to currency printed in other countries.  The below is a photo of the new (2012, although, like in the USA, the currency is dated when there is a change of Treasurer, so it is like OUR “Series 2009” (even the new $100s), note similar looking blue security strip (that also “moves” in the Peruvian 100 soles note (front):

Also note that the vertically printed “100” is purple colored in this picture.  Like the US colored “100” it changes color too, but in Peru the two colors are purple and green, while in the USA the colors are green and gold.  The purple “100” also has the words “NUEVOS SOLES” printed vertically, these also have a texture.

The below is a picture of the reverse side of the Peruvian 100 soles note.  Note that there is a lot of microprinting there as well, particularly along the horizontal colored stripes near the top and near the bottom.

If you look carefully at the top-center you can see the word “CHRISTIANS” written obliquely in small letters.  Christians is the name of the Casa de Cambio where I change US$ into Peruvian soles when I come here.  They told me that they get Chinese Yuan on occasion as well.  I will drop by and see if I can get a Chinese 100 Yuan note in from China than pristine condition, as I do not know if you can get them in the USA very easily.

[Ed. Note:  China is now Peru’s Number One trading partner now, buying and selling more with China than the USA.  Ameru buys Chinese bearings but no US ones.]