OT: Torn $100 bill

Nov 18, 2009 34 Replies

I have a $100 bill that is about two-thirds there and missing a third. There is all this glib advice about "take it to any bank", but both banks I do business with (including the USA's biggest, the one that used to have Italy in its name) say they don't accept torn bills any more and don't have to. The US Treasury only deals with mutilated currency that is less than half a bill. Has the US dollar turned into some filthy third world currency that nobody wants to handle any more? Do I have to go to some special window at the Federal Reserve Bank?


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Most Google hits suggest banks will exchange, but how much time are you going to burn trying to find one that will? Treasury Dept seems like the best route...

Jon

You didn't read my post. This is not mutilated currency since more than half of it is there.

I thought the criterion was that you needed one full serial number and at least part of the other one. At least, that's what they taught us in fifth grade.

Is that still the case? Does your bill have at least a character or two from the second serial number?

All of the left half and Franklin's portrait, plus the right half up to just a bit of the first digit from the right serial number.

It is more than half the bill, clearly, which is what the Treasury considers not "mutilated".

I guess it is just one of those services that banks no longer want to provide. I think if you had the whole bill torn in half they would still refuse it. They probably have some post-9/11 excuse involving terrorists or drug dealers or tax evaders. None of which applies to me.

Odd..Ive never had that problem before. And Im rough on money.

Gunner

"Aren't cats Libertarian? They just want to be left alone. I think our dog is a Democrat, as he is always looking for a handout" Unknown Usnet Poster

Heh, heh, I'm pretty sure my dog is a liberal - he has no balls. Keyton

It's not torn, it's physical form is changing to reflect what the idiots in charge are doing to it's value. Turn it into something of whatever value you can, as soon as you can, before it disappears entirely.

Spend it, like somebody else did. I got the filthiest most disgusting $1 bill from a gas station once. I didn't want to touch it, I was ashamed to spend it. When I finally passed it on to the next victim, he looked grossed out as he took it from me.

I was always told less than 1/2 a bill has ZERO value, you need 50.1% to redeem it.

Call your congressman, it's a government document that you are having problems with. They have contacts they can call and get the right answer for you.

Thank You, Randy

Remove 333 from email address to reply.

Ask to speak to the bank manager. If nothing else this irritates the people at the bank. They do not like it when someone does not just accept their policies. Explain to the manager that you expect better service than this and are willing to change banks if necessary to get the service you think you deserve. If that does not work, let your fingers do the walking and find a bank with better service. The biggest banks do not necessarily have the best service.

=20 Dan

Yes, I DID read your post. Since your local banks seem unwilling to exchange, I merely suggested you try Treasury. Explain that you can't get it exchanged locally, and maybe they'll take care of it. Maybe not, but the worst they could do is say no.

Jon

Tear a bit off.

Next week take that bit.

Trade it in for ones at the nudie bar. ;-)

Good Luck! Rich

F*ck no! Cats are evil. They are the only living things besides humans who torture their victims.

Thanks, Rich

I would just drop it in the ATM as part of a deposit & see what happens. Since some lazy teller would have to take time to write a letter explaining why they are mailing back to you, & then correct the deposit balance I think they would just accept it.

MikeB

Yeah, I've been tempted to try that.

This has occured to me. However I can't threaten to leave because staying at this bank is worthwhile even if they won't help me with my one-time little $100 problem. And I do sympathize that they don't want to provide this service any more.

It really is the proverbial bad penny, always coming back. But seriously inflated.

I remember once at the grocery store they wouldn't take somebody's genuine bill because it had a little purple dye on it. They thought it was stolen loot.

People can be really superstitious about currency.

Read up on wolverines.

David

Actually..not even close to true.

Lots of critters do it. From Killer whales down to weasels and lower

Gunner

"Aren't cats Libertarian? They just want to be left alone. I think our dog is a Democrat, as he is always looking for a handout" Unknown Usnet Poster

Heh, heh, I'm pretty sure my dog is a liberal - he has no balls. Keyton

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