»€:v#|^^|f|W UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URQANA^CHAMPAIGN ILLINOIS HI8TOBICAL 8VBVMT Fl^jt^ 6. AlupncnuBanUN'otr Co-Xt^vAorU &Bostou HEATH'S INFALLIBLE V \ 'V'V/l'l /^^ K \\ \ I'U i AT 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, AS NOW IN CIRCULATION, OR THAT MAY BE ISSUED, WITH GENUINE BANK-NOTE DESIGNS, BY THE AMERICAN BANK-NOTE COMPANY, NEW YORK AND BOSTON. SE VENTEE2< TH THO US AND. BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY LA BAN HEATH, TEACHER OF COUNTERFEIT DETECTING. A. WILLIAMS & CO., PUBLISHEH'S AGENTS, 100 WASin>'GTOX Sthket, Enterefl, according to Act of Confess, in the year 1864, by LABAN HEATH, It. the Clerk's OSice of the District Court of Massachusetts. Tnxes and Niles, ^tfrcotnpcrg antr l^rintcra, 37 CORNHILL. f - r T — TZZ^ ^cj/?i^e n INTRODUCTION. The object of this work is to furnish the public in a brief and comprehensive form with the means of detecting Counterfeit Bank-Notes at sight, — the same means employed by Engravers, Brokers, Cashiers, and other experts. ]\Iany a man, after taking half a dozen ■j counterfeit liills, has thrown away his "Bank-Note Reporter " in disgust, feeling that there is no certain means of protection against this kind of fraud. The Reporters, however, are not at fault. They do all they profess to do ; namely, give the standing of the 5<27iA-s, and describe Anoif^n Coimterfeits. The same is true of the " Safeguards " and " Detectors," describ- ing ail genuine bills. The difficulty lies in the fact that many counterfeits do not find their way into the Reporters for a long time, or they are rushed upon the community in various places at once, and the damage is done before there is time to warn the peo- ple. Many counterfeits also are such exact imitations of the genuine that no description can enable one to detect them. The only sure protection, then, is to possess the power of judging the genuineness of the note by tlie quality of the work. This knowledge has been reduced to fixed principles, so clear and simple HEATH S INFALLIBLE that any one can understand and apply them. Many ladies, under the tuition of the author, have become experts in detecting counterfeits ; and all who have become acquainted with the author's mo:le of teach- j ing the art have shown the deepest interest in it, and j a desire to know still more. This fact, and" a desire \ to furnish the community a protection against the j enormous amount of spurious currency now afloat, I have prompted the author to prepare the present | work. The expense of the work has been very great, j owing to the high cost of genuine engravings with i which it is so profusely illustrated. It may also be remarked that the author has enjoyed peculiar facili- ties for procuring such engravings, which are obtained with great difficulty, owing to the misuse which might be made of them by counterfeiters ; and he is thus able to apply the principles here taught to the United States and National Bank-Note currency, with full illustrations of the same. The general principle upon which the detection of counterfeits is based is that all parts of genuine notes are engraved by machinery, — with some exceptions hereafter named, — while all parts of counterfeit notes are engraved by hand, with exceptions hereafter given. The machines employed in engraving are very elaborate and expensive, thus placing them beyond the reach of counterfeiters, who, even if they had the ^'-apital, would hardly risk investing $75,000 to $150,000 in an illegitimate business which might be taken from them at any moment by the officers of the L= COUNTERFEIT DETECTOR. law. The size and weight of such apparatus would also prevent concealment. The work executed by the regular Bank-Note Com- panies is of great beauty and perfection, and in all its parts mathematically and geometrically exact. En- graving executed by hand, or even with the aid of some simple machinery, can never approach the beauty and exactness of genuine work. The success of counter- feiters in circulating their spurious issues is not at all due tot any excellence of work that would deceive a practised 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 a m.an who knows the object or character of the beauti- ful devices found upon every bank-note, and which are its only safeguard against counterfeiting. In judging of the genuineness of a note, some look care- fully for pin-holes, others for signs "f wear, and others still examine the paper, — all ot which are easily imitated by counterfeiters. In the en2'ravino;8 of this work will be found a standard of excellence^ with which all genuine work will favorably compare ; while counterfeits will fail to stand the test. A careful comparison will reveal their defects, — defects which will never be found in genuine work. Some works of similar character to this have attempted to give specimens of counterfeit engraving by means of wood-cuts. This, however, is impossible, as there is no standard for counterfeits, varying as they do from poor to excellent. 6 COUNTERFEIT DETECTOR. They are also produced by such various methods — photographic, lithographic, anactatic, and engravincrs upon wood, copper, steel, and pewter, all difibring from each other, but all equally poor when compared with the genuine — that it is not possi])le to give coun- terfeit illustrations with any degree of success, or that will not sooner mislead than assist. If is also better to accustom the eye to (jood engraving and then the poor will not impose upon it. The author therefore has deemed it better to furnish one dear and unmis- takable standard with which all bank-notes may be compared. The various kinds of work will be fully described in the following sections. They consist of — Sec. 1. Geometrical Lathe Work, 2. Rulino; Eno;ine Work, 3. jMedallion Ruling Engine Work 4. 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. f 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 is usually placed (See Plate 1), are composed entirely of a network of fine lines ^ crossing each other at such an^rles and distances as to produce the desired effect. This fine line is the characteristic of this description of engraving, and in genuine work can bo traced by means of a lens throughout the figure, never breaking or losing itself in another line, or pursuing flny irreg- ularity whatever. This line is usually white, on a black or green ground, or sometimes red ; but may be a black, green, or red line on^white. This line is produced by the Geometrical Lathe, a wonderful and beautiful engine, invented by ^Mr. Asa Spencer, of Connecticut, and first introduced into general use in 1818-19. The patterns produced by the Geometrical Lathe are of every conceivable variety of form and fig- ure ; but this fine line is the characteristic of thei ji all. The lathe does not engrave its patterns directly upon the bank-note plate, but upon pieces of soft steel one- eighth of an inch thick. This piece is then hardened by a peculiar process, and then a cylinder of soft steel is roiled over it by means of a powerful machine called the Transfer Press, and the engraving is transferred to the cylinder. This cylinder is then hardened, and is capable of transferring the same design to the bank-note plate, by means of the Transfer Press. In counterfeit engraving, on the contrary, the design is engraved directly upon the plate ; and will fail in two ways. First, it Avill be impossible to produce the ferfect line of the genuine, and the effect to the naked eye will be a more or less dull and sunken appearance, and sometimes a ''scratchy" look. The figure will also be darker or lighter in spots, because the lines will be sometimes heavier and sometimes lighter. The lens will also show the lines to be imperfect ; sometimes broken, irregular in size, and irregular in their course ; and, second, it will be impossible to produce 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 in the counterfeit, each being separately engraved and by hand, it is impossible to produce two exactly alike. An examination of Plates 1 and 3, showina: the more frequent forms of Geometrical Lathe dies, will show the beautiful, clear, raised impression produced by the correct lines of the genuine engraving. Some- times the whole face of a note, except the vignettes ^ ^ ■fii^ 'O^ ^-) 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 done by the Geometrical Lathe. In the genuine it will bo perfect in the lines and in the shades, like all lathe work, as described above ; and the counterfeits will have the same imperfections, in the lines and in the shades, before described. In Plate 1 will be found five 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 kind of work ; but the lines, instead of forming circles, are parallel. This work is always used for tlie shadinj of letters (see Plate 2) , and forms a perfectly even pale gray shade. The lines are usually very fine in gen- uine work, BO. that the shading appears light. It may, however, be dark and yet be genuine. The engraving is produced and transferred in the same way as the Geometrical Lathe work, and the shade will always be uniform, — no part darker than another, — the lines will all be perfect, and the spaces between them exact. They may be horizon^val, i. e., directly across the Dlate, or diagonal, running cross- wise the plate. In the counterfeit, tins work, liKe all other, is engraved upon the plate by hani, aided sometimes, perhaps, by some simple and imperfect machinery. Consisting of the fine line, like the Geometrical Lathe work, it will fail in the same parties; lavs ; namely, will be more or Ices dull and sunken, looking as though done with a lead-pencil, and niay also have the " scratchy " appearance ; and, second, it will be impossible to produce two letters with exactly the same shade. The first letters of the name will be lighter or darker than the middle or last ones. The lens will show the lines to be more or less coarse and uneven, frequently breaking, and sometimes ending too soon. The lines are also liable to be crooked, — not per- fectly parallel. Fine specimens of Ruling Engine work will be found in Plate 2. It is generally used, as there, for the sha tf J t/v {/luj eft c/TWT/j fj oooaddoddabbdbo OOOOOOOOOQOOOOO >.v;cooocoooooooo rcccoodooodddoo >O0C0OCOOOQ0QCO ■ "JZ?" OOOPOOOOOOOOOOQ edbttaaoooddottod OOOOOOO0OOOOOQQ OOOOOOCOCOQOOOQ OOOCOOOOOOOOQOQ :z2Z22:az2^2g223g2 eedbacdoododdoo OOOOOOOOOPOOOQQ OOOOOOOOOOQOqoo OQOCQOOOQOOOOPO SHK03aSSHWHWKBM eddddooodddddod OOOOOOOOOOOOOQQ da VI V) W W (fl (/) Vi t/i (/' Uj W yl 7J '/J M :^ tu COUNTERFEIT DETECTOR. 13 rules. It forma eeve'-al patterns, — network, like line lace, diamond in small squares, and several fancy patterns. Plate 8 gives an illustration of this kind of work. This work, on good bills, is printed on both sides, with two exceptions : first, when tlie letter is a block letter, i.e., has shading around the letter, making it stand out in relief (see Plate 4); second, when the note has a check back. The fancy patterns printed on both sides, as seen in Plate 8, are enoraved by the Geometrical Lathe, and are the last things printed on the note. Sometimes the denomination is on a red die, and is not intended to show through. It should be remembered tliat red does not give so clear and raised an impression as black ; it is apt to be a little blurred, even in genaine work, and much more so in counterfeits. The way in which the denomination is printed on both sides of a genuine note is this : In the first place, the die is covered with ink, and an impression is taken from that on a piece of thick paper ; the note is then laid on that paper face up and the die stamped on the face ; so that the back of the note takes the impression from the thick paper, and both sides being printed from the same die, one side will correspond with the other. J 14 heath's infallible SECTION FIFTH. VIGNETTES. \,Can be Lnitaied-'] See Plates 6 and 7. The four kinds of work previously described are always and invariably machine vjork in genuine bills, and therefore cannot be imitated successfully by the means in the hands of counterfeiters. Vignettes may be classed as the artistic part of Bank-Note Engrav- ing, as the greater part of it is done by hand, and in all genuine work by fii'st-class artists. Water and sky are sometimes done with the Ruling Engine, and when they are, come under Section Second, and cannot be successfully imitated. The only thing required 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 employment from the regular companies, counterfeiters can offer little temptation to induce them to work for them, and there is also little temptation for artists to become counterfeiters. 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 be denied ; and some works of a similar character to this have taught people to rely too much upon the character of the Vignettes. Much is said about the appearance of the eyes, hair, skin, drapery, fingers, * i \r COUNTERFEIT DETECTOR. 15 toes, etc., leading people to suppose these are infal- lible. The plate gives fine specimens of first-class Vignettes, and all Vignettes which , fail to compare well with these should cause the note to be careialiy examined ; but the style of Vignette should not l)e allowed to overturn judgment based upon the work described in the four first sections. If that be all genuine, an ordinary Vignette cannot make the bill counterfeit, and if that be counterfeit, no Vignette can make the bill genuine. The portraits in Plate G were executed by men at the head of their professirm, and are exceedingly lifelike and beautiful. Counter- feiters oftener fail in portraits than in out-door scenes, — giving them generally a sunken and lifeless expression. 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 always engraved upon the genuine with great care and accuracy. It will be found on the upper or lower margin of the bill. In counterfeits, it is more or less irregular and uneven. The chief use of solid print is 16 HEATH S INFALLIBLE to prevent alterations, as will be hereafter explained. It is classed as capa]>le of imitation, because a good artist can engrave it for counterfeiters, if so disposed, as well as for the regular engraving companies. A epicimcn of solid print will be seen at the bottom of Plate 2. Much has been said in some " Detectors " about the lettering of " Promise to pay," etc., as being nearly infallible. The truth is, however, that this is of little value, being frequently very neatly done in counterfeit notes. Some bank-bills have the denomination of the bill engraved in very fine letters across the whole or part of tlie face of the bill, — one dollar, one dollar, one dollar, etc. (See Plate 4.) This, in the genuine, produces a perfectly even shade of black, green, red, or otherwise, according to the color of ink used, but in the counterfeit cannot be so well produced ; and, therefore, the shade will be lighter in some places and darker in others. This is nearly infallible. SECTION SEVENTH. THE PERKINS PLATE. lCan7iot be Succes^ully Imitaied.'] The Perkins Stereotype Plate is an Engine Ruled die ; and in the face of the note does not differ from otln^r work of this kind, as described in Section Second. Its chief characteristic is the check back, r«5JEiI— 2*U 9 (D a m^% composed of various sizes and kinds of type, thrown together in a most confused manner, and then ar- ranged in ovals, bars, etc., covering the back of the note. It is usually printed m reddish-brown or black ink, and has never been successfully imitated. For some cause, however, it is not in very general use, partly, perhaps, because the more beautiful designs of the 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, though not infallible, are important. Printing:. Genuine bank-notes are always printed with great care. The plate is covered with ink, which is then carefully wiped off, excepting what remains In the Imes of the engraving ; the impreshion is then taken with a powerful press, with great care and accuracy. This gives a clear and beautiful impression, which will be more or less wanting in counterfeits. Ink. The ink used in genuine bank-note printing is of peculiar quality, and very difficult for counterfeiters to obtain. If black, it gives a clear, glossy injpretj- 18 heath's infallible eion, without any smutty appearance, such as is sometimes seen in counterfeits. The green ink used in 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 and glossy appearance, while counterfeit inks,, look dull and muddy. Paper. Genuine bank-notes are prmted upon paper com- posed of silk and linen, in varying proportions, and it is usually of good quality. It varies much in thick- ness, — it being sometimes very thin. Persons who are not acquainted with paper sometimes pronounce the thin paper poor. We have seen one of the beau- tifully engraved notes of the Suffolk Bank, Boston, looked upon with suspicion by persons unacquainted with the art herein taught, simply because the paper was thin. It is also not impossible for counterfeiters to procure good paper. Out of twelve counterfeit notes now lying before us, four are upon very poor paper, two upon rather poor paper, and six upon very good paper ; one at least of the latter is upon paper of the first quality. It will be seen, therefore, that the paper though important is not infallible. Signatures. The only thing counterfeit about a bill sometimes { is the signatures, the notes having been stolen before they were signed. There can be, of course, no sure protection against this for all. Those who aie well COUNTERFEIT DETECTOR. 19 acquainted with the signatures of the officern of the l)ank where bills are stolen, may not be deceived, as imitated signatures have a more or less cramped and unsteady appearance ; but those who live at a distance cannot possess this knowledge. SECTION WIISTTH. ALTERED BANK-NOTES. Bank-notes are altered in two ways : first, by raising the denomination ; second, by changing a genuine bill on a broken bank to a good bank. Denominations are altered, first, by pasting. Fig- ures or letters of larger denominations are pasted over the denomination of the note to be altered, first scrap- ing the genuine until thin. This can frequently be discovered by simply examining it with a little care, and always by holding the suspected note up to the light, when, if pasted, the pasted parts will be darker, because thicker. Second, by taking out the denomination ol the genuine with an acid, and printing in a higher with a counterfeit die. In this case, the ink will not be the same as the original, as explained in Section Eighth ; neither will the work compare with the original. 11 solid print; it will not be as exact and perfect ; and if the original is i-haded, the shading of the counterfeit part will have the faults described in Section Second. 20 heath's infallible For instance, the words Oxe Dollar may be changed to Five Dollars. In that case the five will be en- graved by hand, and the dollar by genuine means ; an S must also be added, and the work will appear crowded. 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 more or less injured. The paper also will be either bleach- ed or stained by the acid, as can be seen most plainly upon the back. Whenever there are red letters, as described in Section Fourth, they will offer an additional safe- guard against alterations. They are always printed upon the note last, and therefore will be over the other work, while any alteration will have to go on the red. In the United States bills, the ones, twos, and threes, have a circle of green lines radiating from the denomination. This circle can be found on no larger notes than threes, if genuine. This is an additional safeguard against altering United States notes. The solid print will also be found defective, as described in 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 of the principles liere taught will secure any one from deception. To make this change, the name of the Bank and signatures of the officers, always have to be COUNTEIIFEIT DETECTOR. 21 removed, and new ones inserted, and generally the na7ne of the Town and sometimes of the Stata are also changed. These must be removed by acid, and the work inserted will be counterfeit, and will be recog- nized as such by an application of the principles already taught. If the letters are shaded, it will L'C done by hand and not by the Ruling Engine, and will have the imperfections described in Section Second. If Solid Print, the counterfeit will have the faults given in Section Sixth. Sometimes only a part of the name is changed, 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 marks mentioned above, and the counterfeit signatures are apt to be faded, from some acid remaining in the paper, after removing the original signature. If there are red letters upon the bill, the alteration will be still more evident, because the red will be more or less injured b}^ the acid, and the added parts will be upon the red instead of under it, as the genuine are. SECTION- TENTH. GENERAL DIRECTIONS. In receiving bank-bills, first look at the general appearance of the bill, — casting your eye across the bill, — and if anything is wrong, it will probably 22 heath's infallible catch your eye. Then examine the various parts more perfectly, examining the Geometrical Lathe work, and if necessary, compare it with Plate 1, in this 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 of the note. Then if there are any Medallion Ileads or Shields, or other Medallion Ruling, compare it with Plate 3, and examine the lines. If there is any Red Letter work, intended to appear on both sides, exam- ine it first carefully upon the face to s<^e the character of the work, and then turn the note and examine the back, noticing whether the printing on both sides is | precisely alike, or Avhether it varies in any part, in | which case it will be of course counterfeit. Then ex- j amine the Vignettes and Portraits, noticing Avhether i their style and perfection compare well with the stand- i ard work of Plates 6 and 7. If there is Engine Ruling in the sky or water, you will have an addition- | al proof. An examination of the Sjlid Print and j eno-ravers' names will confirm the decision, whatever it may be ; and the Printing, Ink, and Paper, may ! also be considered in making a full decision. Such an examination of a note, with a very little practice, and a frequent reference to these standard plates, will secure any man of ordinary observation and intelli- gence against deception. counterfSit detector. 23 SECTION ELEVENTH. itEMARKS. We would like to add here a few suggestions, hints, aud items, which, although important, could not be added elsewhere without coni\ising the mind of the learner. Genuine Dies on Counterfeit Bills. A genuine Lathe Die will sometimes be seen on a counterfeit bill. The die so used may have been stolen, although that is very difiicult to do, as all such work is guarded by the best of safes and other pro- tections, or it may })e one of the lot that was sold at auction in New York, in 1841, and some of which fell into the hands of counterfeiters. These dies, howev- er, do not render the oi^Acr work genuine. The Ruling of the letters. Solid Piint, in short all the other work on the bill will be counterfeit, — and a single piece of counterfeit work condemns the bill. Some of those auction dies were Vignettes, — so that even the Geo- metrical Lathe dies a.ud Vignette may be genuine work, yet the Ruling and other work will be enough to 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 24 HEATH S INFALLIBLE specimen of Check Back is seen upon the Government notes, the "green-backs;" we mention it here to remark that bills with check backs are rarely altered or counterfeited. If counterfeited, the check back is often omitted. In attempting to alter such bills, the acid strikes through and destroys part of the back, which cannot be replaced. If the alteration ])e in the denomination, 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 the face. It will sometimes be noticed that two bank-notes that should be alike differ somewhat in size, one being a little shorter than the other ; and this may excite some suspicion. It is owing, however, to a little shrinkage of the paper, after printing, and happens as often to genuine bills as any. Piecing. Sometimes Counterfeiters make ten bills of nine, by cutting a counterfeit note into ten pieces ; one of these pieces is pasted into a genuine bill, cutting out a piece of the genuine of the same size. In pasting nine genuine bills in this raa,nuer, nine pieces are ob- tained, which, with one piece of counterfeit, will make a tenth bill, which is the profit. Banks will redeem 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 and the genuine will be very evident to any one who pos- -'.-'W<*,i ^--jjia : COUNTERFEIT DETECTOR. 25 eesses a knowled";e of the art here tau^-ht. To hide this difference, thej generally deface the counterfeit part 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 be entirely secure from counterfeiting, and, therefore, that no knowledge of detecting will be necessary, and no care in receiving such bills will be required. Such, however, is not the case. It is true tJiat the remarkable excellence and abundance of the work upon the Govermnent and National Currency, and the difficulty of imitating tlie green, will render coun- terfeiting very diincult. It should be remembered, however, that this Currency offers great inducements to 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 or section, 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 the currency of the National Bank in one town, may be 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 it becomes known, can go through all the banks in the United States. The fifty cent postal currency is already freely L 26 COUNTERFEIT DETECTOR. counterfeited ; yet hundieds of such couuterfeits pass without any question, where the application of the first rule in this work would detect the fraud : the Lathe work would condemn them in an instant. These facts are not mentioned to depreciate our new Currency in an}'^ way, but to warn the public against a false security, and thus most effectually head off the rascally authors of counterfeit issues, by forewarning and forearming the people. Every man, woman, and child, has occasion to handle more or less money ; and if all w^ould possess themselves of the knowledge here taught, counterfeiting would soon become a profitless business. We want to see a knowledge of this art in every place of business, yes, in every house and cot- tao-e in the country. It has long been our business and our pleasure to forewarn and defend the people a^j-ainst the miscreants who tamper with the commer- cial life-blood of the nation ; defrauding the poor, the wadows, and the fiitherless, of their scanty store, and givinj^ to all vexation and loss in place of security and profit ; 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 the community, but their most pains-taking vigilance is not always successful ; while a general knowledge of detecting bank-notes by the engraving will root out the very fangs of the serpent , — Counterfeiting. 3ffl?THE BANKiDBFARTBnail^, oor. 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 taken from them at the time of their arrest. This plate is in the hands of the American Bank Note Company, from which tliese specimens are printed. Plate 9 is a beautiful specimen of engraving by the American Bank Note Company. The geometrical lathe work in each corner of the note, and medallion ruling work which encloses the title are exceedingly beautiful, and shows at once the impossibility of counterfeiters ever obtaining the beauty found on this plate. The die on the left-hand corner is similar to those on the 5's and 20's of the United States notes, and as they are both counterfeited very successfully, it will prove of great importance to every one in detecting them. Plate 10 is the counterfeit plate already referred to, and is pro- nounced by all an excellent specimen of counterfeit work. •cr 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 it is illustrated, are the ti-ue standard of work to be found on genuine notes. I fully approve of the work. ISAAC CAIIY, Manager. Suffolk Bank, Boston, \ June 21, 1864. j I 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 experience in the ai:>iDlication of fixed rules, which he very clearly ex- plains. 1 consider it the best work on the subject ever otfered to the public. E. R. RUSSELL, Foreign Money Teller. Bank of Mutual REDE>fPTioN, J Boston, Juae 21, 1864. J T coxsTDBR Mr. Heath's " Counterfeit Detector " axala- able work. A study of the rules laid down by him for the detection of Counterfeit and Altered Bank-Notes will enable any person to become a good judge of money. C. B. BRADBURY, Supt. Foreign Money Dept. - .1 FROM HUJsTS MERCHAnS' MAGAZI};E. NEW YORK, OCTOBER, 1864. Heath's Infallible Cousterkeit Detector at Sight. The only j iufallible method of detecting counterfeit, spurious, and altered bauk-notes, and applicable to all banks in the United States and Canadas, as now in circulation or that may be issued, witli genuine bank-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 almost be said to form a regular business, is a matter of impor- tance to every individual ; how much more so is it, when the method is so simple as to be understood by every one who will take the trouble to examine it, and so infallible as to detect the most carefully-prepared counterfeit, even on the first application of the test. Mr. Heath's method for detecting bad bills requires no knowledge of the ditferent banks, which are scattered, as thick as blackberries, all over the country ; but the fineness of the work is made to tell whether the bill is good or bad. Genuine bank-notes are prepared by one or the other of the great Bank-Note Companies, whose machinery is exceedingly costly, and whose 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 discovered — and on account of the bulk of the machinery it would be dif- ficult to conceal it — would not only result in a total loss of capital, but subject him, also, to a criminal's punishment. There are, also, ways given t( detect altered bills, and the book is illustrated by very beautiful specimens of bank- note engraving. It will be found very useful to those who would rather carry good than bad money in their pockets. 29 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-notes may be known at once. The work has been commended by the SulTolk Bank and Bank of Mutual Redemption in this city, and contains much valuable information, espec- ially for young men who are qualifying themselves to be cashiers in large houses. All parts of genuine notes, with a few exceptions, are engraved by machinery, while nearly all parts of counterfeit notes are engraved by hand, be- cause the machines are too expensive and too cumbersome for a business which has to be carried on in secret, and may at any time be bi'oken up by the police. The machine does its work neatly and exactly ; the result of the work- man's labors is rough and unfinished, and presents radical blemishes which can be detected by the practised eye. The application of this principle is explained by Mr. Heath, with the aid of illustrations executed by the American Bank Note Company. — Boston I)aily Advertiser, Detection of Spurious Bank Notes. — An infallible guide to aid in the detection of counterfeit bank-notes has long been desired by business men. Mr. Laban Heath has recently published a little volume which seems to en- tirely satisfy this want. In compiling this book he has been fevored with engravings from the Bank Note Co., with which he is enabled to give to every merchant and ac- countant a standard of genuine bank-note engravings, by which 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 to the grcivtest confidence. — Portland Daily Press. .30 FROM CASHIERS OF BANKS IN BANGOR. Tkaders Baxk, Bangor, Sept. 2.», 18.J4. It concei'ns every person to know whether the money he is handling every day is counterfeit or genuine. The idea generally prevails that only the few experienced money dealers, and professional experts, are capable of distinguishing the good from the bad. But the system taught by Mr. Laban Heath establishes the fact that every 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 the engraved illustrations so perfect, that its thorough study will enable any person to determine the character of any paper 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. 31 FROM BANK OFFICERS. CmcoPEE Bank, SPErx&FrELD, f Nov. 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 one who 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 to become 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, f Portland, July 1, 1864. s I have examined the ** Counterfeit Detector," published by Mr. Heath, and consider it a very valuable aid in the detect! jn of counterfeit bills. SAM'L SMALL, Cashier. ,A.'': V r