Construct Currency Paper For Free

Printing and distributing local currency isn't illegal. But there are rules, says Lewis Solomon, a law professor at George Washington University. First, the currency can only be paper; no coins are allowed. And the currency can't resemble a dollar.

If you tried to make a MICR Inkjet cartridge, all the magnetic particles would simply settle to the bottom, and you'd be left with regular ink. So the right kind of ink simply is not available.

The first reason that comes to mind is printing counterfeit currency is illegal, and it definitely is. Still, there is another lesser-known reason that prevents your printer from actually printing out identical copies of currency bills.

Paper and Ink While most paper used for such items as newspapers and books is primarily made of wood pulp, the currency paper made specifically for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is composed of 75% cotton and 25% linen with the security thread and watermark built in.

That includes paper for the United States dollar, for which Crane has an exclusive contract. The ink for more than 80 percent of the world's currency, including the dollar, comes from Sicpa S.A., based in Lausanne.

There are no wood fibers or starch in currency paper. Instead, like high quality stationery, currency paper is composed of a special blend of cotton and linen fibers. The strength comes from raw materials continuously refined until the special feel of the currency is achieved.

If you try to print currency notes using any modern printing or scanning devices, they will refuse to assist you in this criminal endeavor. Some might even completely shut down! No matter how much you crumple or fold the note, the machine will still detect the fact that you are trying your hand at counterfeiting.