27 Jun Life, Magnified – Blog Contest Week 4
This week’s image is here! Good luck.
Clue #1: It circulates.
Clue #2: Double Sawbuck
6/27/2011 Image – Household, Workshop, Key Tech Item @ 90X Magnification
Dave DeMonte is the winner of this week’s post! Congrats! With impressive detail, Dave identified the image as the color-shifting ink on a US $20 bill used to print the “20” in the lower right hand corner (see image). Clue #1 was in reference to the terminology commonly accepted when referring to active bank notes (i.e. “in circulation”), and Clue #2 is a slang term for a $20 bill. A sawbuck refers to a $10 bill in reference to the “saw” appearance of a Roman numeral X (followed by buck for dollar). Hence, a double sawbuck (XX) is used to refer to a $20… also known as a “Jackson”, “twen-spot”, or – my favorite – “double Hami” (in reference to 2x$10, which features Alexander Hamilton). In addition to “color-shifting” dyes, the U.S. Bureau of Engraving & Printing also implements custom note material, high resolution printing, watermarks, and an embedded strip that fluoresces under a black light to thwart counterfeiting efforts. Give it a try!… the black light, not the counterfeiting.
Color-shifting “20” on a US $20 bank note (appears copper here).
Macro image of “20” on a US $20 bank note (appears dark green here).
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