United States one hundred dollar bill (Series 1996)

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Older Series

Description:
Size: 155.956 x 66.294 mm
Paper type: 75% cotton, 25% linen

The United States one hundred dollar bill ($100) Series 1996 is a denomination of United States currency. U.S. statesman, inventor and diplomat Benjamin Franklin is featured on the obverse of the bill. On the reverse of the banknote is an image of Independence Hall.

The 1996 Series of One-hundred Dollar bill is the first major design change since 1929 using a contemporary style layout. A number of new security features (higher quality portrait of Franklin, watermark, color shifting ink, fine line printing) were added to deter counterfeiting.

The first of the Series 1996 bills were produced in October 1995. All older designs of Federal Reserve notes remain legal tender, or legally valid for payments.

Security Features:

Security features can help you to tell if your Series 1996 old 100 dollar bill is fake or real.

Check the paper

Banknotes are printed on special paper that gives them their unique feel. See the red and blue security fibers embedded throughout the paper of genuine notes. Counterfeiters sometimes try to reproduce these by by printing tiny red and blue lines on the paper of fake bills.

Check the raised print

Run your finger across the front of the 100 dollar bill (Series 1996) and feel the unique texture. The genuine note has slightly raised ink. This is one of the oldest security fetures used to secure all US banknotes since 1862.

Color-Shifting Ink

Tilt the note to see the numeral 100 in the lower right corner of the bill shift from grey to green.

Watermark

Hold the note to light and look for a faint image of Benjamin Franklin in the blank space to the right of the portrait. The watermark is visible from either side of the note.

Security Thread

Hold the Series 1996 US 100 dollar bill to light to see an embedded thread that runs vertically to the left of the portrait. The thread is imprinted with the letters USA and the numeral 100 in an alternating pattern and is visible along the thread from both sides of the note.

Microprint

Using a magnifying glass, look closely and see the microprint within the numeral in the lower left corner and in the left lapel of Benjamin Franklin’s coat.

Sources:
uscurrency.gov
wikipedia.org

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