(1864) Heath's Infallible Counterfeit Detector at Sight

8/14/2019 (1864) Heath's Infallible Counterfeit Detector at Sight

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UNIVERSITY OFILLINOIS LIBRARY

AT URQANA^CHAMPAIGN

ILLINOIS HI8TOBICAL 8VBVMT


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HEATH'SINFALLIBLEV \ 'V'V/l'l /^^ K \\\ I'U iAT SIGHT.

THE ONLY INFALLIBLE METHOD OF DETECTING COUN-TERFEIT, SPURIOUS, AND ALTERED BANK-NOTES,AND APPLICABLE TO ALL BANKS IN THE

UNITED STATES AND CANADAS, ASNOW IN CIRCULATION, ORTHAT MAY BE ISSUED,WITH GENUINE BANK-NOTE DESIGNS,

BYTHE AMERICAN BANK-NOTE COMPANY,NEW YORK AND BOSTON.

SE VENTEE2


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Enterefl, according to Act of Confess, in the year 1864, byLABAN HEATH,It. the Clerk's OSice of the District Court of Massachusetts.

Tnxes and Niles,^tfrcotnpcrg antr l^rintcra,

37 CORNHILL.


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that any one can understand and apply them. Manyladies, under the tuition of the author, have becomeexperts in detecting counterfeits ; and all who havebecome acquainted with the author's mo:le of teach- jing the art have shown the deepest interest in it, and ja desire to know still more. This fact, and" a desire \to furnish the community a protection against the jenormous amount of spurious currency now afloat, Ihave prompted the author to prepare the present |work. The expense of the work has been very great, jowing to the high cost of genuine engravings with iwhich it is so profusely illustrated. It may also beremarked that the author has enjoyed peculiar facili-ties for procuring such engravings, which are obtainedwith great difficulty, owing to the misuse whichmight be made of them by counterfeiters ; and he isthus able to apply the principles here taught to theUnited States and National Bank-Note currency, withfull illustrations of the same.The general principle upon which the detection of

counterfeits is based is that all parts of genuine notesare engraved by machinery, with some exceptionshereafter named, while all parts of counterfeit notesare engraved by hand, with exceptions hereafter given.The machines employed in engraving are veryelaborate and expensive, thus placing them beyondthe reach of counterfeiters, who, even if they hadthe ^'-apital, would hardly risk investing $75,000 to$150,000 in an illegitimate business which might betaken from them at any moment by the officers of the

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COUNTERFEIT DETECTOR.

law. The size and weight of such apparatus wouldalso prevent concealment.

The work executed by the regular Bank-Note Com-panies is of great beauty and perfection, and in all itsparts mathematically and geometrically exact. En-graving executed by hand, or even with the aid of somesimple machinery, can never approach the beauty andexactness of genuine work. The success of counter-feiters in circulating their spurious issues is not at alldue tot any excellence of work that would deceive apractised eye, but to the general ignorance of the pub-lic as to what constitutes good and poor engraving ;80 general is this ignorance, that it is rare to meet am.an who knows the object or character of the beauti-ful devices found upon every bank-note, and whichare its only safeguard against counterfeiting. Injudging of the genuineness of a note, some look care-fully for pin-holes, others for signs "f wear, and othersstill examine the paper, all ot which are easilyimitated by counterfeiters.

In the en2'ravino;8 of this work will be found astandard of excellence^ with which all genuine workwill favorably compare ; while counterfeits will fail tostand the test. A careful comparison will revealtheir defects, defects which will never be found ingenuine work. Some works of similar character tothis have attempted to give specimens of counterfeitengraving by means of wood-cuts. This, however, isimpossible, as there is no standard for counterfeits,varying as they do from poor to excellent.


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6 COUNTERFEIT DETECTOR.

They are also produced by such various methodsphotographic, lithographic, anactatic, and engravincrsupon wood, copper, steel, and pewter, all difibringfrom each other, but all equally poor when comparedwith the genuine that it is not possi])le to give coun-terfeit illustrations with any degree of success, or thatwill not sooner mislead than assist. If is also betterto accustom the eye to (jood engraving and then thepoor will not impose upon it. The author thereforehas deemed it better to furnish one dear and unmis-takable standard with which all bank-notes may becompared.

The various kinds of work will be fully describedin the following sections. They consist ofSec. 1. Geometrical Lathe Work,

2. Rulino; Eno;ine Work,3. jMedallion Ruling Engine Work4. Red Letters and Figures,5. Vignettes,6. Solid Print,7. The Perkins Plate, cannot he successfully

imitated.Then will be added

Sec. 8. Minor Rules," 9. Altered Bank-Notes," 10. General Directions,** 11. Remarks.

Cannot be> successfully

imitated.


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COUNTERFEIT DETECTOR,

SECTIOIT FIRST.GEOMETRICAL LATHE WORK.

{^Cannot be Successfully Jmitated.'\

All the figures on bank-notes, of circles, ovals,squares, etc., and upon which the denomination isusually placed (See Plate 1), are composed entirely ofa network of fine lines ^ crossing each other at suchan^rles and distances as to produce the desired effect.This fine line is the characteristic of this descriptionof engraving, and in genuine work can bo traced bymeans of a lens throughout the figure, never breakingor losing itself in another line, or pursuing flny irreg-ularity whatever. This line is usually white, on ablack or green ground, or sometimes red ; but may bea black, green, or red line on^white. This line isproduced by the Geometrical Lathe, a wonderful andbeautiful engine, invented by ^Mr. Asa Spencer, ofConnecticut, and first introduced into general use in1818-19. The patterns produced by the GeometricalLathe are of every conceivable variety of form and fig-ure

;but this fine line is the characteristic of thei ji all.


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The lathe does not engrave its patterns directly uponthe bank-note plate, but upon pieces of soft steel one-eighth of an inch thick. This piece is then hardenedby a peculiar process, and then a cylinder of soft steelis roiled over it by means of a powerful machine calledthe Transfer Press, and the engraving is transferredto the cylinder. This cylinder is then hardened, andis capable of transferring the same design to thebank-note plate, by means of the Transfer Press.In counterfeit engraving, on the contrary, the designis engraved directly upon the plate ; and will fail intwo ways. First, it Avill be impossible to produce theferfect

line of the genuine, and the effect to the nakedeye will be a more or less dull and sunken appearance,and sometimes a ''scratchy" look. The figure willalso be darker or lighter in spots, because the lineswill be sometimes heavier and sometimes lighter.The lens will also show the lines to be imperfect ;sometimes broken, irregular in size, and irregular intheir course ; and, second, it will be impossible toproduce two dies exactly alike. In the genuine plate,when two dies occur alike, both are " transferred"from the same cylinder and must be alike ; but inthe counterfeit, each being separately engraved andby hand, it is impossible to produce two exactly alike.An examination of Plates 1 and 3, showina: the morefrequent forms of Geometrical Lathe dies, will showthe beautiful, clear, raised impression produced bythe correct lines of the genuine engraving. Some-times the whole face of a note, except the vignettes


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COUNTERFEIT DETECTOR. 9

and dies, will be tinted a pale red or other color.Tills tint is composed of fine curved or looped lines,running across the whole face of the bill, and is doneby the Geometrical Lathe. In the genuine it will boperfect in the lines and in the shades, like all lathework, as described above ; and the counterfeits willhave the same imperfections, in the lines and in theshades, before described. In Plate 1 will be foundfive Geometrical Lathe dies, and one also in Plate 3,in the middle of the upper row.

SECTION SECOND.RULING ENGINE WORK.\,Cannot be Successfully Lnitated."]

The fine line is also the characteristic of this kindof work ; but the lines, instead of forming circles, areparallel. This work is always used for tlie shadinj ofletters (see Plate 2) , and forms a perfectly even palegray shade. The lines are usually very fine in gen-uine work, BO. that the shading appears light. Itmay, however, be dark and yet be genuine.The engraving is produced and transferred in thesame way as the Geometrical Lathe work, and theshade will always be uniform, no part darker thananother, the lines will all be perfect, and the spacesbetween them exact. They may be horizon^val, i. e.,


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directly across the Dlate, or diagonal, running cross-wise the plate. In the counterfeit, tins work, liKeall other, is engraved upon the plate by hani, aidedsometimes, perhaps, by some simple and imperfectmachinery.

Consisting of the fine line, like the GeometricalLathe work, it will fail in the same parties; lavs ;namely, will be more or Ices dull and sunken, lookingas though done with a lead-pencil, and niay also havethe " scratchy " appearance ; and, second, it will beimpossible to produce two letters with exactly thesame shade. The first letters of the name will belighter or darker than the middle or last ones. Thelens will show the lines to be more or less coarse anduneven, frequently breaking, and sometimes endingtoo soon.The lines are also liable to be crooked, not per-

fectly parallel. Fine specimens of Ruling Enginework will be found in Plate 2. It is generallyused, as there, for the sha


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SECTION THIRD.MEDALLION RULING ENGINE WORK.

[^Cannot be Successfully Imitated,"]The beautiful medaliion heads, the raistid shields,

upon which the denomination of the note is some-times placed (see Plate 3), and the raised worksometimes seen in the large letters V., 5, 3, etc.,running across the face of

the hill, are producedbv this engine. The Jine line is still the characteristiaof this work, as of the two already described. Thedifference is that in the first the lines formed circles(eccentric, concentric, and geometric); in the secondthe lines Avere parallel; in this they are ivavcd. Acareful examination of the plate will show that inthe dark places the lines approach nearer to eachother ; in the light places they separate more. Thisengine engraves from a pattern. A medal, or coin,or other prepared pattern, is placed in the machineas a " guide," and every undulation of this " guide"is copied by the macliine with unerring exactness.The lines extend entirely through tlie figure, ap-proaching and departing from each other, but neverbrcakins:. The enorravins; is then "transferred," asdescribed in Section First. The effect of this is a

\ beautiful raised appearance, with an almost metalliclustre and brilliancy, as may be seen in the plate.Ta counterfeits, this work, like all other, is engraved


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upon the plate by hand, or possibly with the aid ofsome imperfect machinery. The result waU be, thatthe lines will be found bva close examination to breakoff in the pattern, and sometimes to be forked, andalso irregular in size, some coarser and some finer,and one line will not be of the same size throughout.The effect of this is that the engraving will have adull and sunken appearance, more like a wood-cut.The pattetn also wants the ease and grace of thegenuine. The flat expression will be the most strik-ing. When used as a counter upon which to place thedenomination, and there are two dies that pretend tobe alike, they wiU be exactly alike, both being trans-ferred from the same cylinder ; while in counterfeitsthey will not be exactly alike, being done b}'' hand atdifferent times. The beautiful work of the MedallionRulinor Engine can be seen in Plate 3.

SECTION FOURTH.RED LETTERS AND FIGURES.

\,Cannot be Successfully Imitated."]

Many bank-notes have their denominations printedacross the face, in colored letters, and sometimesfigures. The color used is generally red, green, orblue. (See Plates 4 and 8.) The fl?ie line is thecharacteristic of tliis description, as in the preceding


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rules. It forma eeve'-al patterns, network, likeline lace, diamond in small squares, and severalfancy patterns. Plate 8 gives an illustration of thiskind of work. This work, on good bills, is printedon both sides, with two exceptions : first, whentlie letter is a block letter, i.e., has shading aroundthe letter, making it stand out in relief (see Plate4); second, when the note has a check back. Thefancy patterns printed on both sides, as seen inPlate 8, are enoraved by the Geometrical Lathe, andare the last things printed on the note. Sometimesthe denomination is on a red die, and is not intendedto show through. It should be remembered tliatred does not give so clear and raised an impressionas black ; it is apt to be a little blurred, even ingenaine work, and much more so in counterfeits.The way in which the denomination is printed onboth sides of a genuine note is this : In the firstplace, the die is covered with ink, and an impressionis taken from that on a piece of thick paper ; the noteis then laid on that paper face up and the die stampedon the face ; so that the back of the note takes theimpression from the thick paper, and both sides beingprinted from the same die, one side will correspondwith the other.

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14 heath's infallible

SECTION FIFTH.VIGNETTES.

\,Can be Lnitaied-']See Plates 6 and 7.

The four kinds of work previously described arealways and invariably machine vjork in genuine bills,and therefore cannot be imitated successfully by themeans in the hands of counterfeiters. Vignettes maybe classed as the artistic part of Bank-Note Engrav-ing, as the greater part of it is done by hand, andin all genuine work by fii'st-class artists. Waterand sky are sometimes done with the Ruling Engine,and when they are, come under Section Second, andcannot be successfully imitated. The only thingrequired for a first-class Vignette is a first-class art-ist ; but as such artists receive high rates of com-pensation, and can usually find plenty of employmentfrom the regular companies, counterfeiters can offerlittle temptation to induce them to work for them,and there is also little temptation for artists to becomecounterfeiters. It is therefore rare to see fine Vig-nettes on counterfeit notes. That good work is some-times found upon such issues is, however, not to bedenied

;and some works of a similar character to

this have taught people to rely too much upon thecharacter of the Vignettes. Much is said about theappearance of the eyes, hair, skin, drapery, fingers,


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\rCOUNTERFEIT DETECTOR. 15

toes, etc., leading people to suppose these are infal-lible. The plate gives fine specimens of first-classVignettes, and all Vignettes which ,fail to comparewell with these should cause the note to be careialiyexamined ; but the style of Vignette should not l)eallowed to overturn judgment based upon the workdescribed in the four first sections. If that be allgenuine, an ordinary Vignette cannot make the billcounterfeit, and if that be counterfeit, no Vignettecan make the bill genuine. The portraits in Plate Gwere executed by men at the head of their professirm,and are exceedingly lifelike and beautiful. Counter-feiters oftener fail in portraits than in out-doorscenes, giving them generally a sunken and lifelessexpression. Plate 7 consists of out-door scenes.

SECTION SIXTH.SOLID PRINT.{Can be Imitated.']

In genuine work the lettering is done by a first-class artist, who makes it his exclusive employment,and therefore arrives at a high degree of perfection.The name of the Engraving Company is alwaysengraved upon the genuine with great care andaccuracy. It will be found on the upper or lowermargin of the bill. In counterfeits, it is more or lessirregular and uneven. The chief use of solid print is


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to prevent alterations, as will be hereafter explained.It is classed as capa]>le of imitation, because a goodartist can engrave it for counterfeiters, if so disposed,as well as for the regular engraving companies. Aepicimcn of solid print will be seen at the bottom ofPlate 2. Much has been said in some " Detectors "about the lettering of

" Promise to pay," etc., asbeing nearly infallible. The truth is, however, thatthis is of little value, being frequently very neatlydone in counterfeit notes. Some bank-bills have thedenomination of the bill engraved in very fine lettersacross the whole or part of tlie face of the bill, onedollar, one dollar, one dollar, etc. (See Plate 4.)This, in the genuine, produces a perfectly even shadeof black, green, red, or otherwise, according to thecolor of ink used, but in the counterfeit cannot beso well produced ; and, therefore, the shade will belighter in some places and darker in others. This isnearly infallible.

SECTION SEVENTH.THE PERKINS PLATE.

lCan7iot be Succes^ully Imitaied.']

The Perkins Stereotype Plate is an Engine Ruleddie ; and in the face of the note does not differ fromotln^r work of this kind, as described in SectionSecond. Its chief characteristic is the check back,

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composed of various sizes and kinds of type, throwntogether in a most confused manner, and then ar-ranged in ovals, bars, etc., covering the back of thenote. It is usually printed m reddish-brown or blackink, and has never been successfully imitated. Forsome cause, however, it is not in very general use,partly, perhaps, because the more beautiful designs ofthe Geometrical Lathe have superseded it. The peo-ple like, not only a genuine bill, but a beautiful one.

SECTION!" EIGHTH.MINOR RULES.

TVe will now give some indications which, thoughnot infallible, are important.

Printing:.Genuine bank-notes are always printed with great

care. The plate is covered with ink, which is thencarefully wiped off, excepting what remains In theImes of the engraving ; the impreshion is then takenwith a powerful press, with great care and accuracy.This gives a clear and beautiful impression, whichwill be more or less wanting in counterfeits.

Ink.The ink used in genuine bank-note printing is of

peculiar quality, and very difficult for counterfeitersto obtain. If black, it gives a clear, glossy injpretj-


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eion, without any smutty appearance, such as issometimes seen in counterfeits. The green ink usedin government work is almost impossible to imitate ;and the red and other colors are almost as difficult.Genuine ink of any color has a more or less clear andglossy appearance, while counterfeit inks,, look dulland muddy. Paper.

Genuine bank-notes are prmted upon paper com-posed of silk and linen, in varying proportions, andit is usually of good quality. It varies much in thick-ness, it being sometimes very thin. Persons whoare not acquainted with paper sometimes pronouncethe thin paper poor. We have seen one of the beau-tifully engraved notes of the Suffolk Bank, Boston,looked upon with suspicion by persons unacquaintedwith the art herein taught, simply because the paperwas thin. It is also not impossible for counterfeitersto procure good paper. Out of twelve counterfeitnotes now lying before us, four are upon very poorpaper, two upon rather poor paper, and six upon verygood paper ; one at least of the latter is upon paperof the first quality. It will be seen, therefore, thatthe paper though important is not infallible.

Signatures.The only thing counterfeit about a bill sometimes

{is the signatures, the notes having been stolen beforethey were signed. There can be, of course, no sureprotection against this for all. Those who aie well


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acquainted with the signatures of the officern of thel)ank where bills are stolen, may not be deceived, asimitated signatures have a more or less cramped andunsteady appearance ; but those who live at a distancecannot possess this knowledge.

SECTION WIISTTH.ALTERED BANK-NOTES.

Bank-notes are altered in two ways : first, byraising the denomination ; second, by changing agenuine bill on a broken bank to a good bank.

Denominations are altered, first, by pasting. Fig-ures or letters of larger denominations are pasted overthe denomination of the note to be altered, first scrap-ing the genuine until thin. This can frequently bediscovered by simply examining it with a little care,and always by holding the suspected note up to thelight, when, if pasted, the pasted parts will be darker,because thicker.

Second, by taking out the denomination ol thegenuine with an acid, and printing in a higher with acounterfeit die. In this case, the ink will not be thesame as the original, as explained in Section Eighth ;neither will the work compare with the original. 11solid print; it will not be as exact and perfect ; and ifthe original is i-haded, the shading of the counterfeitpart will have the faults described in Section Second.


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For instance, the words Oxe Dollar may be changedto Five Dollars. In that case the five will be en-graved by hand, and the dollar by genuine means ; anS must also be added, and the work will appearcrowded.Another indication is, that the acid will spread a

little, taking out more than the counterfeiter intended,so that parts of the neighboring letters will be moreor less injured. The paper also will be either bleach-ed or stained by the acid, as can be seen most plainlyupon the back.Whenever there are red letters, as described inSection Fourth, they will offer an additional safe-guard against alterations. They are always printedupon the note last, and therefore will be over theother work, while any alteration will have to go onthe red.

In the United States bills, the ones, twos, andthrees, have a circle of green lines radiating from thedenomination. This circle can be found on no largernotes than threes, if genuine. This is an additionalsafeguard against altering United States notes. Thesolid print will also be found defective, as describedin Section Sixth. The second kind of alteration, that of broken

banks to good ernes, sometimes requires a close exami-nation to detect them ; but a good understanding ofthe principles liere taught will secure any one fromdeception. To make this change, the name of theBank and signatures of the officers, always have to be


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COUNTEIIFEIT DETECTOR. 21

removed, and new ones inserted, and generally thena7ne of the Town and sometimes of the Stata are alsochanged. These must be removed by acid, and thework inserted will be counterfeit, and will be recog-nized as such by an application of the principles alreadytaught. If the letters are shaded, it will L'C done byhand and not by the Ruling Engine, and will have theimperfections described in Section Second. If SolidPrint, the counterfeit will have the faults given inSection Sixth. Sometimes only a part of the name ischanged, and then the contrast between the counter-feit and the part not changed is more evident.There will also be marks of the acid, the same marksmentioned above, and the counterfeit signatures areapt to be faded, from some acid remaining in thepaper, after removing the original signature. Ifthere are red letters upon the bill, the alteration willbe still more evident, because the red will be more orless injured b}^ the acid, and the added parts will beupon the red instead of under it, as the genuineare.

SECTION- TENTH.GENERAL DIRECTIONS.

In receiving bank-bills, first look at the generalappearance of the bill, casting your eye across thebill,and if anything is wrong, it will probably


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catch your eye. Then examine the various partsmore perfectly, examining the Geometrical Lathework, and if necessary, compare it with Plate 1, inthis work. Then examine the shading of the letters, the Ruling Engine work, and look for an}' indi-cation of alteration in the title or denomination ofthe note. Then if there are any Medallion Ileads orShields, or other Medallion Ruling, compare it withPlate 3, and examine the lines. If there is any RedLetter work, intended to appear on both sides, exam-ine it first carefully upon the face to s


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counterfSit detector. 23

SECTION ELEVENTH.itEMARKS.

We would like to add here a few suggestions, hints,aud items, which, although important, could not beadded elsewhere without coni\ising the mind of thelearner.

Genuine Dies on Counterfeit Bills.A genuine Lathe Die will sometimes be seen on

a counterfeit bill. The die so used may have beenstolen, although that is very difiicult to do, as all suchwork is guarded by the best of safes and other pro-tections, or it may })e one of the lot that was sold atauction in New York, in 1841, and some of which fellinto the hands of counterfeiters. These dies, howev-er, do not render the oi^Acr work genuine. The Rulingof the letters. Solid Piint, in short all the other workon the bill will be counterfeit, and a single piece ofcounterfeit work condemns the bill. Some of thoseauction dies were Vignettes, so that even the Geo-metrical Lathe dies a.ud Vignette may be genuinework, yet the Ruling and other work will be enoughto condemn the note. ^

Check Backs.The work upon the back of bills is usually done by

the Geometrical Lathe (except the Perkins Plate),and therefore comes under Section First. A beautiful


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24 HEATH S INFALLIBLE

specimen of Check Back is seen upon the Governmentnotes, the "green-backs;" we mention it here toremark that bills with check backs are rarely alteredor counterfeited. If counterfeited, the check back isoften omitted. In attempting to alter such bills, theacid strikes through and destroys part of the back,which cannot be replaced. If the alteration ])e in thedenomination, it will have to bo altered in the back,also, as it is usually expressed there, and such an al-teration would be likely to stain through upon theface.

It will sometimes be noticed that two bank-notesthat should be alike differ somewhat in size, one beinga little shorter than the other ; and this may excitesome suspicion. It is owing, however, to a littleshrinkage of the paper, after printing, and happensas often to genuine bills as any.

Piecing.Sometimes Counterfeiters make ten bills of nine, by

cutting a counterfeit note into ten pieces ; one of thesepieces is pasted into a genuine bill, cutting out apiece of the genuine of the same size. In pastingnine genuine bills in this raa,nuer, nine pieces are ob-tained, which, with one piece of counterfeit, willmake a tenth bill, which is the profit. Banks willredeem the genuine parts of such bills at their frac-tional value. This operation is not a very success-ful one, as the difference between the counterfeit andthe genuine will be very evident to any one who pos-


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eesses a knowled";e of the art here tau^-ht. To hidethis difference, thej generally deface the counterfeitpart somewhat, and give the note a worn appear-ance.The new National Currency, which will probably

sooner or later take the place of all other issues,except United States Notes, is supposed by some to beentirely secure from counterfeiting, and, therefore,that no knowledge of detecting will be necessary, andno care in receiving such bills will be required.Such, however, is not the case. It is true tJiat theremarkable excellence and abundance of the workupon the Govermnent and National Currency, andthe difficulty of imitating tlie green, will render coun-terfeiting very diincult. It should be remembered,however, that this Currency offers great inducementsto counterfeiters, and a successful counterfeit will re-pay great outlay and care,

for two reasons :first,the green-backs will go anywhere in the United States,

and if a counterfeit becomes known in one State orsection, it can be taken to another ; while counter-feits on local banks, when once knctwn, are killed ;and second, a plate maybe prepared to counterfeit thecurrency

of the National Bank in one town, maybe run upon that till known, and then with sim-ply a change in the title of the bank, be immedi-ately changed to another bank, and thus, as fast as itbecomes known, can go through all the banks in theUnited States.The fifty cent postal currency is already freely

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26 COUNTERFEIT DETECTOR.

counterfeited ; yet hundieds of such couuterfeits passwithout any question, where the application of thefirst rule in this work would detect the fraud : theLathe work would condemn them in an instant.

These facts are not mentioned to depreciate our newCurrency in an}'^ way, but to warn the public againsta false security, and thus most effectually head off therascally authors of counterfeit issues, by forewarningand forearming the people. Every man, woman, andchild, has occasion to handle more or less money ; andif all w^ould possess themselves of the knowledge heretaught, counterfeiting would soon become a profitlessbusiness. We want to see a knowledge of this art inevery place of business, yes, in every house and cot-tao-e in the country. It has long been our businessand our pleasure to forewarn and defend the peoplea^j-ainst the miscreants who tamper with the commer-cial life-blood of the nation ; defrauding the poor, thewadows, and the fiitherless, of their scanty store, andgivinj^ to all vexation and loss in place of security andprofit ; and we hope to still further disarm and par-alyze them, by a more general diffusion of the knowl-edge of this art, by means of this little work.Vigilant ofiicers of police may do much to guard thecommunity, but their most pains-taking vigilance isnot always successful ; while a general knowledge ofdetecting bank-notes by the engraving will root outthe very fangs of the serpent , Counterfeiting.


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3ffl?THE BANKiDBFARTBnail^,


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COUNTERFEIT DETECTOR.For the purpose of more fully illustrating the dif-

ference between genuine and counterfeit engraving,we have at great trouble and expense obtained a coun-terfeit plate engraved by counterfeiters and takenfrom them at the time of their arrest. This plate isin the hands of the American Bank Note Company,from which tliese specimens are printed. Plate 9 is abeautiful specimen of engraving by the AmericanBank Note Company. The geometrical lathe work ineach corner of the note, and medallion ruling workwhich encloses the title are exceedingly beautiful, andshows at once the impossibility of counterfeiters everobtaining the beauty found on this plate. The die onthe left-hand corner is similar to those on the 5's and20's of the United States notes, and as they are bothcounterfeited very successfully, it will prove of greatimportance to every one in detecting them. Plate 10is the counterfeit plate already referred to, and is pro-nounced by all an excellent specimen of counterfeitwork.


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RECOMMENDATIONS.OPFICK of AmKRICAN BaNK-NoTE CdVPANT, )

Boston, June 23, 1864. >The " Counterfeit Detector," published by Mr. Heath,is all that it purports to be. The engravings, hj which itis illustrated, are the ti-ue standard of work to be foundon genuine notes. I fully approve of the work.ISAAC CAIIY, Manager.

Suffolk Bank, Boston, \June 21, 1864. jI HAVE examined the ** Counterfeit Detector" just

issued by Mr. Laban Heath. The ability to detect Coun-terfeit and Altered Notes is the result on.y of experiencein the ai:>iDlication of fixed rules, which he very clearly ex-plains. 1 consider it the best work on the subject everotfered to the public.

E. R. RUSSELL, Foreign Money Teller.

Bank of Mutual REDE>fPTioN, JBoston, Juae 21, 1864. JT coxsTDBR Mr. Heath's " Counterfeit Detector " axala-

able work. A study of the rules laid down by him for thedetection of Counterfeit and Altered Bank-Notes willenable any person to become a good judge of money.

C. B. BRADBURY,Supt. Foreign Money Dept.- .1


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FROM HUJsTS MERCHAnS' MAGAZI};E.NEW YORK, OCTOBER, 1864.

Heath's Infallible Cousterkeit Detector at Sight. The only jiufallible method of detecting counterfeit, spurious, and alteredbauk-notes, and applicable to all banks in the United States andCanadas, as now in circulation or that may be issued, witli genuinebank-note desigcs, by the Americaa Bank-Note Co. Boston : La-jiAJH Heatu. 1864.Any reliable method of detecting spurious notes in these

days of paper currency, when counterfeiting might almostbe said to form a regular business, is a matter of impor-tance to every individual ; how much more so is it, whenthe method is so simple as to be understood by every onewho will take the trouble to examine it, and so infallible asto detect the most carefully-prepared counterfeit, even onthe first application of the test. Mr. Heath's method fordetecting bad bills requires no knowledge of the ditferentbanks, which are scattered, as thick as blackberries, allover the country ; but the fineness of the work is made totell whether the bill is good or bad. Genuine bank-notesare prepared by one or the other of the great Bank-NoteCompanies, whose machinery is exceedingly costly, andwhose engraving is of the very finest description. No en-graving done by hand can equal that done by this machin-ery, and no counterfeiter would care to invest $75,000 to$150,000 in an illegitimate business, which, if discoveredand on account of the bulk of the machinery it would be dif-ficult to conceal it would not only result in a total loss ofcapital, but subject him, also, to a criminal's punishment.There are, also, ways given t( detect altered bills, and thebook is illustrated by very beautiful specimens of bank-note engraving. It will be found very useful

to those whowould rather carry good than bad money in their pockets.


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NOTICES OF THE PEESS.The Counterfeit Detector. Mr. Laban Heatli, teach-

er of counterfeit detecting, lias published a book, describ-ing the method by which counterfeit and altered bank-notesmay be known at once. The work has been commendedby the SulTolk Bank and Bank of Mutual Redemption inthis city, and contains much valuable information, espec-ially for young men who are qualifying themselves to becashiers in large houses. All parts of genuine notes, witha few exceptions, are engraved by machinery, while nearlyall parts of counterfeit notes are engraved by hand, be-cause the machines are too expensive and too cumbersomefor a business which has to be carried on in secret, andmay at any time be bi'oken up by the police. The machinedoes its work neatly and exactly ; the result of the work-man's labors is rough and unfinished, and presents radicalblemishes which can be detected by the practised eye. Theapplication of this principle is explained by Mr. Heath,with the aid of illustrations executed by the AmericanBank Note Company. Boston I)aily Advertiser,Detection of Spurious Bank Notes. An infallible

guide to aid in the detection of counterfeit bank-noteshas long been desired by business men. Mr. Laban Heathhas recently published a little volume which seems to en-tirely satisfy this want. In compiling this book he hasbeen fevored with engravings from the Bank Note Co., withwhich he is enabled to give to every merchant and ac-countant a standard of genuine bank-note engravings, bywhich he may compare all bills coming into his hands,and readily detect the worthless. This system has re-ceived the highest testimonials and thei^efore is entitled tothe grcivtest confidence. Portland Daily Press.

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FROM CASHIERS OF BANKSIN BANGOR.

Tkaders Baxk, Bangor,Sept. 2., 18.J4.

It concei'ns every person to know whether the money heis handling every day is counterfeit or genuine.The idea generally prevails that only the few experienced

money dealers, and professional experts, are capable ofdistinguishing the good from the bad. But the systemtaught by Mr. Laban Heath establishes the fact thatevery person may readily acquire the art.As an aid to the living teacher,! consider the little Man-

ual prepared by Mr. Heath invaluable; and indeed its in-structions and explanations are so cleai* and full, and theengraved illustrations so perfect, that its thorough studywill enable any person to determine the character of anypaper rioney at sight.

E. TRASK, Cashier.We fully concur in the foregoing sentiments expressed

by Mr. Trask.Wm. J. Lord, Cashier of Veazie Baulc.JOII.N Wyjian,M. T. Stickney,John S. Kicker,T. S, DODD,W. H. Mills,W. H. Parsons,"NV. b. Dennett,

" First National Bank." Mercliaiifs Bank." Mercantile Bank." KendusUeag Bank." Eastern Bank." Farmer's Bank." Second National Bank.

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FROM BANK OFFICERS.

CmcoPEE Bank, SPErx&FrELD, fNov. 1, 1864. ]I HAVE examined the " Counterfeit Detector ' published

by L. Heath. I think it is one of the best works ever pub-lished, to detect counterfeit money.

I do not hesitate in recommending it to all business men,or persons that handle bank-bills.

LEWIS WARNER, Telltr.

Mandtactitreks and Traders Bank,POUTLAND, June -28, 1864.We consider Mr. Heath's work a valuable aid to any onewho will examine the principles of engraving, and com-pare counterfeit bills with the true. "With this help, care-ful study and attention will enable most young persons tobecome good judges of paper currency.

E. GOULD, Can/tier.W. H. STEPHENSON, Cashier Me-h. Bank.WM. EDW. GOULD, Cashier Inter'i Bank.GEO. C. PETERS, Teller Canal Bank.

Bank of CtnvrBERLANU, fPortland, July 1, 1864. sI have examined the ** Counterfeit Detector," published

by Mr. Heath, and consider it a very valuable aid in thedetect! jn of counterfeit bills.

SAM'L SMALL, Cashier.


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(1864) Heath's Infallible Counterfeit Detector at Sight

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