Dissecting the Dollar

We’re willing to bet you have no idea what most of the pictures and numbers on your money mean. Do you know why we have Latin sayings on our bills, or whose pictures are on each dollar, or where money goes after it falls apart? Well you’re going to find out! Just take out a one-dollar bill, or borrow one from someone nearby and follow along on our mission to ‘Dissect the Dollar!’

Did you know that paper money isn’t really made from paper? It’s both cotton and linen mixed together with tiny blue and red silk fibers running through it. If you look closely you can tell where the red and blue shows up on your bill.

The ink used on our money is a special blend that makes it really hard to erase without ruining the rest of the bill. This is so people won’t make their own money, which is very illegal. Tracy R. Edson, a founder of the American Bank Note Company, bought the patent rights to this ink.

The money you’re holding is overprinted with symbols, starched to make it water proof, and pressed to make it crisp like paper. You can always tell when you have a newer bill.

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