The most common “counterfeits” we see are actually just modern reproductions made to look old. These are extremely easy to identify. They will:
-Be Printed on Brown Brittle Paper
-Have a Black Overprint
-Usually Have Blank Backs
The most frequently counterfeited bills are colonial notes, confederate currency, and Republic of Texas money. If the serial number on your bill matches something on the list below then what you have is a reproduction.
Colonial Money
Continental Currency $20 Sept 26, 1778 # 270350
Connecticut 10 Shilling June 1, 1770 # 11259
Delaware 5 Shilling Jan 1, 1776 # 62101
Georgia $4 Sept 10, 1777 # 2991 & # 19567
Maryland $8 Apr 10, 1774 # 14020
Massachusetts $8 May 5, 1780 # 25480
New Hampshire 30 Shilling Aug 24, 1778 # 992
$7 Aug 29, 1780 # 1702 or # A702
New Jersey 18 Pence Mar 25, 1776 # 8418
New York 5 Pounds Feb 16, 1771 # 24323
$10 Aug 13, 1776 # ????
North Carolina $4 Aug 8, 1778 # 126 or # 146
Pennsylvania 15 Shilling Oct 1, 1773 # 5520
Rhode Island $3 July 2, 1780 # 2298
South Carolina 5 Shilling Apr 10, 1778 # 640
$8 Oct 9, 1776 # [none]
Virginia $250 Mar 1, 1771 # 1165
Texas Money
$1 2150
$2 5214
$3 40, 41, 383, 146?, 2077
$5 1349, 2221, 2231, 2251
$10 1385, 5480
$20 569, 1575, 6221
$50 1112, 1503, 2962, 5962
$100 184, 185, 663, 1467
$500 1381
Confederate Money
$0.50 1863 104199, 104508, 861343
1864 6850, 83999
$1 1862 355, 658, 49092, 50381
1863 1468, 18094
1864 3691, 28490, 32984, 42507, 6171, 76280, 82129, 83383, 85087
$2 1861 2473, 6476, 46893
1862 37232, 48590, 211765
1863 46695, 51572
1864 4505, 18491, 32098, 34098, 37544, 48840, 74585, 93609, 94505, 98840
$5 1861 1953, 2070, 4763, 11225, 16767, 24497, 138590
1862 6250
1863 16165, 81072
1864 1138, 18262, 19640, 23580, 45806, 46147, 47333, 50243, 68771,76280
$10 1861 470, 970, 1484, 5089, 8005, 8007, 19107, 77389, 91497, 94129
1862 2973, 581355
1863 37728, 50883
1864 8470, 9825, 14077, 22462, 31680, 32515, 35342, 39911, 40620, 40679,
45447, 45956, 49987, 55411, 66037, 83185, 96636
$20 1861 11220, 15247, 76007, 131720
1862 39590, 61372
1863 77786
1864 1372, 2625, 10482, 13410, 22224, 23483, 35021, 46410, 56809, 68327, 76627, 80967, 93941
$50 1861 1365, 3866, 18441, 18443, 21614, 23961, 23510, 31351, 49935, 93351
1862 60423, 85765
1863 3987, 4553, 57257, 57557
1864 5670, 5920, 11999, 14949, 24791, 25674, 50935, 59204, 61891, 72104, 77114
$100 1861 85, 457, 1367, 4182, 4332, 323118
1862 108, 4114, 25208, 50371, 52042, 53453, 57939, 65798, 84389, 127208, 148406
1863 933, 2248, 2575, 29063, 29200, 57226
1864 801, 4398, 20396, 33193, 41567, 44248, 47128, 49987 79243, 85117, 92685
$500 1861 85
1864 393, 9229, 14682, 16599, 16760, 18278, 18935, 19834, 21130, 26326, 26949, 33004, 33546, 36776, 67935, 82210
$1,000 1861 46, 82, 88, 176, 178, 197, 297, 321
$10,000 everything is fake
$100,000 everything is fake
Obsolete Bank Notes
Alabama State of Alabama $100 Jan 1, 1864 # 834
Arkansas Treasury Warrant $1 Apr 28, 1862 # 128346
California Wells Fargo $20 Jan 11, 1871 # 370455
Miners Bank Alta Calif 25ct 1857 # 1849
Canada City Bank $4 Jan 1, 1857 # 12549
D.C. Bullion Bank $3 July 4, 1862 # [none]
Columbia Bank $3 Oct 20, 1862 # [none]
Presidents Bank $1 ——- 1852 # [none]
Florida State of Florida $1 Mar 1, 1863 # 2396
Bank Fernandina $5 Feb 1, 1860 # 237
Bank of Florida $4 Feb 1, 1864 # 542
Bank St. Johns $5 May 2, 1859 # 667
Bank West Florida $40 Nov 3, 1832 # 1363
Merchants & Platnters $20 Nov 12, 1833 # 13??
Georgia State of Georgia $100 Apr 6, 1864 #19507
Indiana Citizens Banking House $2 July 1, 1857 # ??
Citizens Banking House $3 July 1, 1857 #2929
Citizens Banking House $5 July 1, 1857 #2658
Exchange Banking House $3 Oct 27, 1819 # [none]
Louisiana State of Louisiana $100 Mar 10, 1863 # 2650 rev
Maryland Somerset & Worcester Saving Bank $2 Nov 1, 1862 # 1564
Michigan Macomb Count Bank $2 Apr 1, 1758 # 5203 & # 1958?
Tecumseh Bank $1 No Date # {none}
Mississippi Mississppi Trasury Note $100 Jan 8, 1862 # 2758
New Jersey Union County Bank $5 Sept — # [none]
New York Bulls Head Bank $3 Aug 10, 1864 # 4042
City Trust & Bkng $2M Dec 21, 1839 # 5509
Clinton Bank $100 Dec 2, 1839 # 9
Corp City Albany 10 ct. July 17, 1862 # 676
Genessee Co. Bk. $52.12 May 5, 1865 # 16896
Sherman & Barnee 25 ct July 11, 1862 # [none]
N. Carolina State of North Carolina $1 Sept 1, 1862 #808
Ohio Bank of Granville $3 May 11, 1838 #7374
State Bank of Ohio $1 July 7, 1861 #9131
Ohio Rail Road $2 1845 No S#
S. Carolina Cotton Planters Assoc $5 May 15, 1862 # 415
Louisville Cincinnati & Charleston RR Co. Remainder $1.75
Tennessee Bank of Chattanooga $2 Jan 4, 1863 # [none]
Texas Treasury Warrant $5 Oct 6, 1862 112586
United States, Bank of the $10 Jan 23, 1834 646
$1000 Dec 15, 1840 8894
$1 Mil Dec 25, 1840 711
Virginia Virginia Treasury Note $100 Oct 15, 1862 119, 2875
Bank of Rockbridge $5 Jan 8, 1859 1692
Bank of North America $1 Jan 30, 1862 #28
$1000 Jan 30, 1862 #22
