Have you ever pulled a dollar bill from your wallet and noticed a strange symbol stamped on it—perhaps something that looks like a tiny drawing or even a bow-and-arrow shape? At first glance, it can feel unsettling, as if the bill has been altered or tampered with. But these unusual markings aren’t signs of fraud or damage. In fact, they often point to a fascinating journey the bill has taken far beyond U.S. borders, passing through hands, markets, and countries where trust in currency has long been verified in very practical ways.
These markings are known as chop marks, and they serve a specific purpose. Historically, money changers and traders stamped currency to show it had been examined and accepted as genuine. This practice dates back centuries, especially in parts of Asia, where merchants marked silver coins after checking their weight and purity. As paper money became more common, the same idea carried over to banknotes—including U.S. dollars—which are widely used in many countries because of their perceived stability.
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