Benjamin Franklin’s Contribution to the Development of the US Dollar: Combating Counterfeiters

In addition to his numerous accomplishments as an inventor, publisher, scientist, diplomat, and founding father of the United States, Benjamin Franklin made a significant contribution that often goes unnoticed – his pioneering efforts in printing colonial paper currency, aimed at countering the persistent threat of counterfeiting.

Franklin, an early innovator in printing techniques, employed colored threads, watermarks, and imprints of natural objects like leaves to make it exceptionally difficult for others to produce counterfeit versions of his paper bills. Recently, a team of researchers at the University of Notre Dame has shed new light on Franklin’s methods through advanced scanning techniques, uncovering greater details and providing another reason why Franklin’s portrait adorns the $100 bill.

Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the recent research describes the use of spectroscopy, fluorescence tests, and electron microscopes to gather data. These techniques employ light to identify elements such as carbon, calcium, and potassium in the test samples, while electron microscopes enable the imaging of fine details.

The primary objective, according to lead author Khachatur Manukyan, an associate professor of physics at Notre Dame, was to gain insight into the materials Franklin and his network of affiliated printers used, as well as understand how these materials helped distinguish their bills from inferior counterfeits.

“Our goal was to decipher the types of materials they used,” Manukyan explained in an interview. “During the process, we discovered some intriguing differences between this currency and bills from other printers.”

The researchers examined Franklin’s innovative use of watermarks, indigo-dyed threads, and fillers made of special crystals in his printed bills. These elements served as barriers against counterfeiters. Franklin also employed the technique of “nature printing,” which involved transferring detailed vein patterns of tree leaves onto printing plates.

These techniques created significant obstacles for would-be counterfeiters. Counterfeiters typically aimed to minimize costs, thus hesitating to invest in improving their own printing methods. Franklin’s fillers enhanced the durability of the bills, extending their lifespan compared to the cheaper paper favored by criminals. The addition of dyed threads further complicated the production process for counterfeiters.

Moreover, Franklin’s nature-printed images featured intricate details that posed significant challenges for less skilled printers attempting to replicate them.

The research also revealed that Franklin developed his own ink based on graphite, diverging from competing printers who primarily used ink derived from “boneblack,” a substance similar to charcoal produced by heating animal bones at high temperatures in oxygen-restricted kilns. The significance of Franklin’s graphite-based ink requires further investigation.

However, during the Revolutionary War, counterfeiting proliferated, with a considerable portion allegedly attributed to the British Army. As a result, the subsequent U.S. government refrained from using paper currency for several decades, opting instead for coinage. It wasn’t until the onset of the Civil War in 1861 that the federal government authorized the printing of dollar bills, known as “greenbacks.”

The early U.S. banknotes incorporated several features, including colored threads, which remain in use today in a more contemporary form. Present-day U.S. currency, particularly bills with denominations of $5 or higher, features an embedded “security thread” that fluoresces under ultraviolet light.

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This story has been updated to correct the name of the University of Notre Dame.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about counterfeiting

More about counterfeiting

• Benjamin Franklin Biography – History.com
• University of Notre Dame – Official Website
• Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
• Currency Security Features – U.S. Currency Education Program
• Counterfeiting Prevention – United States Secret Service