How to Tell If a Series 1996-2013 $100 Bill Is Real

Numismatics expert Max Hockley goes over the key signs that you have an authentic $100 bill

Co-authored by Max Hockley and Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: June 10, 2026 Fact Checked

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1996-2013 Bills

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1990-1996 Bills

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Can you spend old $100 bills?

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One-hundred-dollar bills issued past 2013 have several obvious security features, but the marks of authenticity on older bills are a bit subtler. If you’re unsure whether your old $100 bill is legal tender or a counterfeit, you've come to the right place. This article will help you tell the differences between a real and a fake $100 bill issued from 1996-2013, with insights from a numismatics expert. We'll also cover the signs of a real 100-dollar note issued from 1990-1996.

How to Spot a Fake Old 100 Dollar Bill

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An illustration showing the security features of a real 0 bill issued from 1996-2013.

Numismatics expert Max Hockley says old 100-dollar bills issued from 1996 to 2013 are made out of a fabric-like material that contains blue and white fibers. If you don't see these fibers, then the bill might be fake. Here are a few other signs that a $100 bill from 1996-2013 is real:

Security thread: Look at the bill under UV light and notice the pink vertical security thread to the left of Benjamin Franklin's portrait.
Watermark: Check the left side of the front of the bill for a watermark of Franklin.
Color-shifting ink: Turn the bill from side-to-side to watch the 100 numeral in the bottom right corner change from green to black.

Section 1 of 3:

Signs a 1996-2013 100-Dollar Bill Is Real

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Every $100 bill issued from 1996 to 2013 has a security thread embedded in the bill's fibers. Hold the bill up to the light and look for it to the left of Benjamin Franklin's portrait and to the right of the Federal Reserve System seal. You should see a vertical line with the alternating letters and numerals "USA" and "100." If you have an ultraviolet light (UV), point it at the bill, and you'll see that the security thread glows pink.^{[1]
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Meet the wikiHow Expert

Max Hockley is a numismatics and precious metals expert with over 15 years of experience collecting coins. He’s also the creator of the Silverpicker YouTube channel, where he educates and entertains people about numismatics.
The portrait isn't the only image of Benjamin Franklin on a 1996-2013 $100 bill. If you look to the right of his portrait and hold it up to the light, you'll also see a faint watermark image of Franklin, explains Hockley.^{[2]
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Blue and white threads Much like 2013-current $100 bills, 1996-2013 $100 notes have tiny blue and white fibers embedded in the paper, which are really hard to fake, says Hockley. So, if you don't see these fibers, the bill might be fake.^{[3]
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Expert Interview} They're hard to see, though, so use a magnifying glass to look for them. Keep in mind they should be woven into the fibers, not just printed on top.^{[4]
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- Hockley explains that the paper the bills are printed on is not a regular paper; it’s actually more like a fabric. And within this paper-fabric hybrid, there are visible threads.^{[5]
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The "100" numeral on the bottom right corner of the face of a real $100 bill is printed with color-changing ink. To verify this, hold it under a light and turn it slowly back and forth. The color will shift back and forth between green and black.^{[6]
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Microprinting is producing letters and numbers so small that you usually have to look at them through a magnifying glass to see them. One example of microprinting on a real 1996-2013 $100 bill is the "USA 100" printed in the "100" numeral in the bottom left corner. The second example is "The United States of America" printed in the line on Benjamin Franklin's lapel.^{[7]
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Texture is one of the easiest ways to identify if an old 100-dollar bill is real or fake, so feel it with your fingertips. The ink on it should feel slightly raised and textured, not flat. If you don't notice any texture at all, you've definitely got a fake on your hands.^{[8]
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Real 1996-2013 $100 bills feature a black seal to the left of Benjamin Franklin's portrait. This seal features an eagle in the center with the words "UNITED STATES FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM" circling it.^{[9]
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A green seal is located underneath the large "100" numeral to the right of Benjamin Franklin's portrait. It represents the United States Department of the Treasury, and it also includes the year 1789. That was the year that the Treasury Department was founded.^{[10]
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Real 100-dollar notes from 1996-2013 will be printed with specific dates indicating the years when new designs were approved. You'll only find 1996, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2003A, 2006, and 2006A on these bills. Check for it on the left side of the bill, just to the left of Benjamin Franklin's portrait.^{[11]
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11-digit serial number All $100 bills, regardless of when they were issued, are printed with an 11-digit serial number. You'll find it in 2 spots on the bill: on the top left under "FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE" and the bottom left under the green Department of the Treasury seal.^{[12]
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Research source} This number is typically a mix of letters and numerals, and the first letter corresponds to the year it was issued. Here's a breakdown of the letters that match the 100-dollar bill issue years:
- 1996: A
- 1999: B
- 2001: C
- 2003: D
- 2003A: F
- 2006: I
- 2006A: K
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Counterfeiting pens According to Hockley, there are anti-counterfeiting pens that you can use to mark a $100 bill to determine if it’s real or not. With most pens, if the mark turns yellow, that means the bill is real. But, if the mark turns brown, that indicates that it’s fake.^{[13]
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- Hockley recommends looking up what the colors mean for the specific pen you get.^{[14]
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- He also adds that this verification method is best if you’re planning on actually spending the bill, rather than keeping it as a collectible.^{[15]
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Section 2 of 3:

Signs a 1990-1996 100-Dollar Bill Is Real

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Security thread $100 bills from 1990-1996 also have a security thread, says Hockley.^{[16]
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Max Hockley
Numismatics and Precious Metals Expert

Expert Interview} However, it's located in a slightly different spot than on newer bills. Hold the left side of the front of the note under UV light and look just to the left of the Federal Reserve Bank seal. There, you should see a glowing pink thread, with "USA" and "100" alternating along it.^{[17]
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- Hockley notes that the security thread was actually first introduced with the 1990 series $100 bills.^{[18]
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These bills also have microprinting that is only visible with a magnifying glass, says Hockley.^{[19]
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Max Hockley
Numismatics and Precious Metals Expert

Expert Interview} Look closely at the outer edge of Franklin Benjamin's portrait and you'll read the words "United States of America."^{[20]
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$100 bills issued from 1996-2013 feature a seal for the Federal Reserve System. But 100-dollar notes issued from 1990-1996 have seals representing the Federal Reserve Bank that distributed that particular bill. It's a black ink seal with a letter indicating where the note was issued in the center. Surrounding the letter are the words "FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF" and the city and state of the bank.^{[21]
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100-dollar bills from 1990-1996 are printed with series year 1990 or 1993. You'll find the year printed on the right side of the note. More specifically, it's located between Benjamin Franklin's portrait and the Secretary of the Treasury's signature.^{[22]
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Section 3 of 3:

Are old 100-dollar bills still legal tender?

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Yes, provided the bills aren't counterfeits or too worn to accept. The Federal Reserve states that no matter what year a $100 bill was issued, it's still acceptable legal tender. This means you can still spend it! You also don't have to trade in any old notes you have when new notes are released. That's why you'll still often see pre-2013 100-dollar bills in circulation.^{[23]
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- Note: If your 100-dollar bills are really old or torn, so that it's hard to make out the details, take them to your bank and exchange them for new ones.^{[24]
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- How many $100 bills are in circulation? As of 2025, the Federal Reserve reports that 19.9 billion 100-dollar notes are circulating in the public marketplace!^{[25]
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