You’ve seen it a thousand times. Maybe it was in a rap video, a news report about inflation, or just sitting in your wallet before you paid for groceries. But if you actually stop and look at a picture of 100 dollar bill from the current series, you’ll realize it’s a chaotic masterpiece of engineering. It’s not just "paper." Honestly, it’s a high-tech security device that just happens to function as currency.
The "Benjamin" has changed.
Back in the day, the $100 bill was a simple green and black affair with a small portrait of Benjamin Franklin. Now? It’s got 3D ribbons, color-shifting ink, and microprinting so small you basically need a magnifying glass to read it. If you’re looking at a high-resolution photo of one, you’re seeing the result of decades of cat-and-mouse games between the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) and counterfeiters from around the globe.
What You’re Actually Seeing in That Photo
When you pull up a digital image of the latest $100 note—officially known as the Series 2009 or 2013 design—the first thing that jumps out is that blue stripe. It’s not printed on the paper. It’s woven into it. This is the 3D Security Ribbon. If you tilt a real bill (or watch a video of one), the little bells inside the ribbon change to "100s" as they move. It’s a trick of microlenses. There are about a million of them in every single bill. Think about that for a second. Every single C-note has a million tiny lenses embedded in a plastic strip.
Then there’s the "Bell in the Inkwell."
To the right of Franklin’s shoulder, there’s a copper-colored inkwell. Inside it sits a green bell. In a high-quality picture of 100 dollar bill, you can see the color-shifting effect clearly. As the angle changes, the bell disappears and reappears, shifting from copper to green. It’s meant to be nearly impossible to replicate with a standard desktop printer or even a high-end offset press.
The Myth of "Paper" Money
We call it paper. It isn't.
If you’ve ever accidentally washed a hundred-dollar bill, you know it comes out looking surprisingly okay. That’s because U.S. currency is 75% cotton and 25% linen. It’s fabric. That is why it has that specific "feel" that counterfeiters struggle to mimic. When you zoom in on a professional picture of 100 dollar bill, you can actually see the tiny red and blue security fibers scattered throughout the paper. They look like tiny hairs. In the past, people tried to draw these on with pens, but on the real deal, they are integrated into the pulp.
Why Benjamin Franklin Looks Grumpy
The portrait of Ben Franklin is iconic. He was never a president, which is a common trivia question, but he was a Founding Father and a master of science. The BEP chose him for the largest denomination in general circulation because his face is incredibly detailed.
Human brains are hardwired to recognize faces.
We can tell if a nose looks slightly "off" or if the eyes lack depth. By making the portrait large and removing the oval frame that used to surround it, the designers gave us more surface area to inspect. If you look at a close-up picture of 100 dollar bill, you’ll notice the fine line-work in his coat and the texture of his skin. Those lines are created by hand-engraved steel plates. It’s an art form that’s dying out everywhere except in the world of high-stakes minting.
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The Secrets Hidden in Plain Sight
There are things in that photo you probably missed.
- Microprinting: Look at Franklin’s jacket collar. There are words there. "THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." You can’t see it without a lens.
- The Watermark: If you hold the bill to the light, a faint image of Franklin appears in the blank space to the right of the portrait. It’s visible from both sides.
- Gold 100: On the back of the bill, there’s a massive gold "100." This was designed to help people with visual impairments identify the denomination, but it also serves as a nightmare for low-end counterfeiters to get the metallic sheen just right.
- The Serial Numbers: Each one is unique. The first letter of the serial number corresponds to the series year. If the letters and the design year don't match, you're looking at a fake.
The North Korea Connection and the "Supernote"
Why go to all this trouble? Why make a piece of currency look like a psychedelic art project?
Because of the "Supernote."
For years, the U.S. government has dealt with highly sophisticated counterfeits, allegedly produced by state actors like North Korea. These fakes were so good they could even fool some older detection machines at banks. They used the same cotton-linen blend and high-end intaglio printing. The 2013 redesign, with its blue 3D ribbon and color-shifting bell, was the direct response to this threat. It made the cost of producing a "perfect" fake so high that it basically wasn't worth the effort for most criminal syndicates.
Legal Issues With Photos of Money
You might be wondering: is it even legal to have a picture of 100 dollar bill on your computer?
Sorta. But there are rules.
The Counterfeit Detection Act of 1992 is pretty strict. If you’re printing a digital illustration of money, it has to be either much smaller (less than 75% of the actual size) or much larger (more than 150%) than the real thing. Also, it has to be one-sided. If you’ve ever tried to open a high-res photo of a $100 bill in Photoshop, you might have seen a warning pop up. That’s the Central Bank Counterfeit Deterrence Group (CBCDG) at work. They developed the Counterfeit Deterrence System (CDS), which is baked into most image editing software to prevent people from even opening files that look too much like real currency.
The Future of the Benjamins
Will we even have $100 bills in twenty years?
With the rise of digital payments and crypto, the physical bill seems like a relic. Yet, there is more U.S. currency in circulation today than ever before. A huge chunk of it—some estimates say over 60%—is actually held outside the United States. It’s the world’s "under the mattress" fund. People in volatile economies trust a picture of 100 dollar bill more than they trust their own local banks.
That trust is built on the complexity you see in the image. The minute that bill becomes easy to fake, it loses its power. That’s why the BEP is constantly prototyping new features, like polymer substrates or even more advanced holographic elements that we haven't seen yet.
How to Spot a Fake Using Your Phone
If someone hands you a hundred and you're suspicious, you don't need a lab. You just need your eyes and maybe your phone’s flashlight.
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- Feel the Paper: Run your fingernail across Ben Franklin’s shoulder. It should feel "rough" or "raised" due to the intaglio printing process. If it's smooth as a flyer, it's a fake.
- Check the Ribbon: Look at the blue stripe. Don't just look at it—move the bill. The bells should turn into 100s. If they are static, it's a cheap reproduction.
- The Light Test: Shine your phone's light through the bill. You should see the watermark of Franklin and a thin vertical thread that glows pink under UV light. That thread actually says "USA 100" over and over.
- Magnify: Use your phone's camera to zoom in on the "THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" on Franklin’s collar. If the letters are blurry or bleeding together, it’s a standard inkjet print job.
Practical Insights for Handling Large Bills
Whether you're a business owner or just someone who sold an old couch on Craigslist, handling hundreds requires a bit of savvy. Most "marker" pens you see at registers are actually pretty unreliable; they only detect the chemical composition of the paper. Sophisticated fakes use "bleached" singles—taking a $1 bill, washing off the ink, and printing a $100 over it. The pen will say the paper is real, but the watermark will still be George Washington.
Always look for the watermark. It is the single most effective way to catch a bleached bill.
Next time you see a picture of 100 dollar bill, don't just see it as "cash." See it as a billion-dollar tech project designed to protect the global economy. It’s a mix of 18th-century portraiture and 21st-century physics.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your own wallet: Take out a $100 bill and find the microprinting on the collar to verify its authenticity.
- Update your business tech: If you handle cash, ensure your scanners are updated to recognize the Series 2013 security features rather than relying on outdated counterfeit pens.
- Verify your digital assets: If using images of currency for marketing or design, ensure they comply with the 75/150 rule to avoid legal complications with the Secret Service.