COUNTERFEIT SIGNATURES.
Sometimes genuine notes are stolen before they are signed; then the
only thing about them made counterfeit is the signatures. Those who
are familiar with the signatures of the officers of the bank where
notes are purloined, may not be lead into error, as such signatures
usually appear more or less cramped or unsteady; but there is no sure
protection against a counterfeit of this kind for those who do not
have special knowledge of the signatures.
[Illustration: UNITED STATES TREASURY BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C.]
ALTERED BANK-NOTES.
Bank-notes are altered in two ways, namely: raising the denomination,
and changing the name of a broken to that of a responsible bank.
First, in altering a note, it is scraped until thin: then figures of
larger denomination are pasted over. A pasted note may be detected by
holding it up to the light, when the pasted parts will appear darker,
as they are thicker.
Second, the denomination of a note is raised by taking out a low one
with an acid, and printing in a higher one with a counterfeit stamp.
The ink used in genuine bank-note printing is a peculiar kind, and
not easily to be obtained by counterfeiters: therefore, their printing
will not appear as clear and bright as that of the government, which
is done with ink of the finest quality. If the ink is black, it gives
a clear and glossy impression, without any of that smutty appearance,
as is sometimes seen in counterfeit bank-notes.
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