How to spot a counterfeit note
A paper checklist, not an appraisal. Compare with a published record or use photo Identify. Notofilia does not authenticate other people’s pieces or publish prices.
Nobody spots a fake from a phone photo alone. It helps to look at the substrate, relief, variable inks, and serial against a known type. This page is that order; the long blog guide develops each point.
Check order
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1
Paper and watermark
Cotton paper does not glare like a photocopy. Against the light, the watermark should match the type: portrait, denomination, or catalogue device, not a printed shadow.
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2
Thread, window, and OVI
A security thread, a polymer window, and optically variable ink change colour or visibility when you tilt. A fake often prints the effect flat.
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3
Intaglio and serial
Intaglio has relief you can feel. The serial should match the type in lettering and colour; a radar or low serial does not prove authenticity. If the example is in this collection, open the record and compare.
If you have the face in view, the identify tool compares the photo with published pieces. It does not replace an expert or PMG or PCGS.
Go to photo Identify Read the full guide
Glossary terms used in this checklist:
What this page does not do
There are no prices, no remote authenticity verdict, and no invented population figure. A basement slab is not PMG or PCGS. If you doubt a high-value piece, the path is a first-tier house, not a screenshot.