I'm having difficulty identifying my paper money.

Ask a Trusted Friend

Ask a friend, family member, or person you trust to identify your paper money (bills). You can then use the “folding system” and place the money into different pockets or in an adaptive Money Identification Wallet with separate compartments for each denomination.

Adaptive wallets may be obtained from a variety of sources.

Fold Your Money

The folding system is a tactile way for you to tell what your paper money is by the way it is folded. For example:

  • The $1.00 bill remains flat and unfolded;
  • Fold the $5.00 bill in half
  • Fold the $10.00 bill in half lengthwise;
  • Fold the $20.00 bill like a $10.00 bill, lengthwise, and then in half like the $5.00 bill.

folding money steps

different ways to fold money

Magnify the Money with a CCTV

If you have a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) you can read your paper money (bills) with the machine and then use the folding system to fold your bills. Place them in an adaptive wallet that separates the bills by denominations. You can find the CCTVs at several sources.

Look for the Large Print Numbers

Paper money in the U.S. is now produced with larger print numbers on the back lower right hand corner of the $5, $10, $20, and $50 bills. With good lighting and, if necessary, a hand held magnifier, you may be able to read the denomination of your paper money.

There is also an electronic talking money identifier called Note Teller available from EnableMart.