Banknote Serial Numbers

Discussions focus on serial numbers on physical currency for tracking counterfeits, stolen bills, and contaminated notes, as well as policies like demonetizing high-denomination bills to combat crime and black money.

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#6951
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Keywords

US www.npr economist.c archive.md GBP BerkShares EUR ATM BTW UK bills currency 000 000 000 cash notes money note printed circulation

Sample Comments

sabatonfan Nov 20, 2025 View on HN

Is this something strictly with the US currency notes or is the same true for other countries currency as well?

Brian_K_White Feb 5, 2022 View on HN

Cash has serial numbers printed on it.

cbanek Dec 21, 2018 View on HN

Just like the money in your wallet?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contaminated_currency

tsomctl Jan 24, 2017 View on HN

Don't expect this to change, it's used to help track counterfeit money.

Loranubi Oct 22, 2021 View on HN

Billions of new banknotes are printed every day. Why does nobody care?

rand_r Jul 3, 2025 View on HN

This is something you see in movies. Cash is by nature not traceable, so invalidating notes after issue would make it impossible to trust any cash transaction.

sleepybrett May 14, 2023 View on HN

they are worried about currency forgery.

rcruzeiro Nov 20, 2025 View on HN

Try photocopying some US dollar bills.

elil17 Feb 13, 2022 View on HN

What exactly is censored when you use paper currency?

kart23 Mar 14, 2023 View on HN

seems like a decent way to unprint some money.