A cashier suspects that a customer has attempted to pay with a fake $20 bill. Which of the following would indicate the bill is counterfeit?

Question

There are watermarks in the paper bill.
There is a security thread in the paper bill.
There is no gold standard backing the bill.
There is no change in the color of the bill's ink.

Answer 1

Among the options provided, the statement that would indicate the bill is counterfeit is:

There is no change in the color of the bill's ink.

Genuine U.S. currency, including $20 bills, features ink that changes color when you tilt the bill. If the ink does not change color, it could be a sign that the bill is counterfeit.

Watermarks and security threads are features found on legitimate currency, and the absence of a gold standard backing is not relevant to the authenticity of modern currency.