Cracking the Code: Unveiling Benjamin Franklin's Financial Strategies

Researchers from the University of Notre Dame have uncovered Benjamin Franklin's innovative techniques for printing money in the American Colonies, including unique pigments and materials to deter counterfeiting. Using cutting-edge spectroscopic and imaging instruments, the team analyzed nearly 600 Colonial notes and found distinctive features in Franklin's bills, such as the use of a special black dye made from graphite and the inclusion of colored silks in the paper. Franklin's bills also contained a translucent material called muscovite, which increased over time and served as a deterrent to counterfeiters. The interdisciplinary project highlights the value of collaboration across disciplines and sheds light on Franklin's contributions to early American monetary history.