Why Some U.S.

A few U.S. dollar bills bear strange marks — small stamps, pentagrams or a small pair of initials not found on the official symbol. People call them chop marks, and they bear witness to a global journey through foreign markets and money exchanges.

What Are Chop Marks?
Chop marks are small, clipped symbols stamped on U.S. bills by money changers or currency handlers. They are an indication that a bill has been scrutinised and found to be authentic. Widespread in Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America, these patterns of markings help ease distrust in economies where fake bills are more common.

From China to the Ottoman Empire The word “chop” has its roots in China, a world leader in production of stamped silver coin, and thousands of merchants competed with one another to produce the best-stamped coin as unequivocal evidence of its weight and authenticity. People have incorporated paper money into the practice, especially the American dollar, which is so widely used outside the United States.

Source: Flickr
Why Do The Money Changers Chop Marks?
Verifiers stamp chop marks on a bill after it passes the ordinary security checks. Someone marks the chit with a specific sign to indicate provenance. This process:

Verifies to future possessor the legitimacy of the bill.
Monitors its movement along local financial chains
Builds trust where there is no strong central verification
What Do These Marks Appear As?
Appearance of Chop marks:

Arrows, stars or birds and other symbols
Stylized letters or initials
Special symbols such as one of a bow and arrow, as on a $20 bill recently

Source: Flickr
They use ink — blue, black, or red — to prevent obscuring the official security elements.

Are Chop Marks Legal?
Federal statutes in the United States outlaw the mutilation of currency to the point of affecting its value as legal tender, but chop marks do not rise to that level. These tiny stamps have no impact on the functioning or value of a bill. But machines and some banks may refuse heavily defaced bills because of appearance.

A Quiet Story in Your Wallet
A marked bill might have run through markets, banks or booths so some distant land. They’re all stories about verification and movement and trust across borders. When you receive one, you’re holding a slice of that global expedition.

Related Posts

RIP Young woman d!es at the hands of her

Jennifer Robyn Bernard, widely recognized for her portrayal of Terry Brock on General Hospital, has sadly passed away. A well-known figure to soap opera enthusiasts during the…

Trump Starts Process Of Bringing MAGA Team Back Together

A growing civil war within the MAGA movement is brewing as President Donald Trump weighs whether to strike Iran in support of Israel’s military campaign. At the…

DOJ official says Jill Biden should be charged for ‘elder abuse’

Political debate has heated up since former President Joe Biden was recently diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, and accusations against former First Lady Jill Biden have surfaced….

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!

Keratosis is a common skin condition where rough, scaly patches form due to sun damage or a buildup of keratin. These patches often appear on the face,…

I Left My Husband after He Used Me as a Cook and Nanny for His Kids – 15 Years Later, His Daughter Brought Me to Tears

I married a man after a whirlwind romance, believing we’d build a happy life together. Some people might have called it a red flag when he insisted…

TRAGEDY ON GRADUATION DAY

A Nebraska father, Jeremy Koch, 42, is believed to have fatally stabbed his wife Bailey, 41, and sons Hudson, 18, and Asher, 16, before killing himself—just hours…