Real American currency is printed on a unique blend of 75% cotton and 25% linen. It’s not the slick, papery texture of a notebook page—it has a slight, almost fabric-like crispness. Run your thumb over the bill; you should feel tiny ridges of raised ink, especially on the collar of Andrew Jackson’s portrait.
Fun fact: The Bureau of Engraving and Printing uses a special intaglio printing process that literally pushes ink into the paper. That’s why a real $20 feels almost sculpted. A fake will feel flat, smooth, and maybe even a little waxy—like it came from a home printer at 2 a.m.
