At first glance, a U.S. dollar bill seems simple—green, crisp, covered in familiar faces and symbols. But every so often, if you look closely, you might notice something unusual: a tiny stamp, a pentagram, a curious symbol, or a set of small initials that don’t appear to be part of the bill’s official design. These are known as chop marks, and though easy to overlook, they hint at a hidden, fascinating history. Each chop mark tells the story of a bill’s global travels—its journey through foreign lands, bustling marketplaces, currency exchanges, and the hands of merchants and money handlers far from American shores.
