United Kingdom
Using red ink, and a rubber stamp engraved in capitals, the word ‘SAMPLE’, bank notes were marked. Although marking the note in such a way does not invalidate it, care was taken to not deface the Royal Effigy; which is illegal.
Use of the word SAMPLE references commercial products sent as examples to resellers, evaluators, or the media; where actual products are marked in such a way as to prevent sale, and therefore profit from a ‘free’ copy of an product. The word SAMPLE is fundamentally different from using the word SPECIMEN** which is always present on reproductions of banknotes to make it impossible to attempt to use them as real currency.
Marked notes where then used as normal money for the purchase (or attempted purchase) of goods and services. Some cashiers noticed the stamp and challenged it’s presence: some minded, some did not. Other cashiers did not notice, meaning the stamp was probably spotted at a later time – either when offered to another customer as change or before or when they reached the bank – all times when they would be challenged by the stamp.
Marked notes where also used in automated ticket machines.
Using red ink, and a rubber stamp engraved in capitals, the word ‘SAMPLE’, bank notes were marked. Although marking the note in such a way does not invalidate it, care was taken to not deface the Royal Effigy; which is illegal.
Use of the word SAMPLE references commercial products sent as examples to resellers, evaluators, or the media; where actual products are marked in such a way as to prevent sale, and therefore profit from a ‘free’ copy of an product. The word SAMPLE is fundamentally different from using the word SPECIMEN** which is always present on reproductions of banknotes to make it impossible to attempt to use them as real currency.
Marked notes where then used as normal money for the purchase (or attempted purchase) of goods and services. Some cashiers noticed the stamp and challenged it’s presence: some minded, some did not. Other cashiers did not notice, meaning the stamp was probably spotted at a later time – either when offered to another customer as change or before or when they reached the bank – all times when they would be challenged by the stamp.
Marked notes where also used in automated ticket machines.
Notes:
*Under section 18(1) of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981 it is a criminal offence for any person, without the prior consent in writing of the Bank of England, to reproduce on any substance whatsoever, and whether or not on the correct scale, any Bank of England banknote or any part of a Bank of England banknote. The Bank of England also owns the copyright in its banknotes.
**The Bank of England requires permission to be sort before reproduction of banknotes from The Note Reproductions Officer. Any reproduction of banknotes “must also include the word SPECIMEN twice in solid black capital letters. Once from the bottom left corner to the top centre and again from the bottom centre to the top right corner of the banknote”.
*Under section 18(1) of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981 it is a criminal offence for any person, without the prior consent in writing of the Bank of England, to reproduce on any substance whatsoever, and whether or not on the correct scale, any Bank of England banknote or any part of a Bank of England banknote. The Bank of England also owns the copyright in its banknotes.
**The Bank of England requires permission to be sort before reproduction of banknotes from The Note Reproductions Officer. Any reproduction of banknotes “must also include the word SPECIMEN twice in solid black capital letters. Once from the bottom left corner to the top centre and again from the bottom centre to the top right corner of the banknote”.