Get your eyeballs really close. Like, embarrassingly close. Look at the collar of Jackson’s coat on the portrait.
You should see tiny, crisp words like “THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” repeated. It’s so small, your eyes will hurt. That’s the point.
Fakes can’t print that small. The text will look blurry, smudged, or missing. Criminals are lazy, and microprinting is their kryptonite.
The Border is a Battlefield
Look at the border around the bill. Real money has intricate, intricate lines that look like spiderwebs or lace. They are razor-sharp.
Fakes often have borders that are solid, broken, or wavy. It looks like a child traced a circle with a shaky hand. If the border looks like a cheap cup, it’s a no-go.