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$100 Bills To Be Destroyed After Printing Mistake At Factory

Currency Factory Makes Costly Printing Error
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A small printing error is presumably proving very costly for the U.S. government after a currency factory ruined a batch of 30 million next-generation $100 bills.

Originally slated to go into circulation in 2011, the new bills have experienced a variety of setbacks, the latest of which involves a printing mistake known as "mashing."

Darlene Anderson, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), told The New Yorker that mashing involves applying too much ink to the paper and happens "infrequently." Still, the error has forced the Federal Reserve to return tens of millions of notes back to the Washington, D.C., facility and demand its money back, according to the report. The returned notes will be re-inspected, and any flawed bills will be destroyed.

The mistake was discovered during a routine inspection, Anderson told ABC News. Inspectors noticed ”too much ink was used to print a small number of notes. As a result the ink in these notes didn’t stay in the area it was intended for.”

Despite the snafu, the new $100 bills will be introduced as planned on Oct. 8.

However, The New Yorker reports that an internal memo sent by BEP director Larry Felix noted that the nation's currency factory in Texas would have to work overtime to make up for the other facility's mistake.

“There are dire consequences involved here because BEP sells Federal Reserve notes to the Board to finance our entire operation,” Felix wrote in the memo. “If the BEP does not meet the order, the BEP does not get paid.”

When the new bills are released, they will include small 3-D pieces embedded in the paper, a color-shifting Liberty Bell design and a new secret message in Ben Franklin's collar. The features are designed to make the bills harder to counterfeit.

While the government has been cagey in terms of describing just how much this latest error will cost, at least it doesn't have an apparent odor issue on its hands: Many Canadians believe their country's new $100 notes smell like maple syrup.

Clarification: Language has been amended to reflect that not all of the 30 million returned bills will be destroyed.

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Before You Go

Cool Currencies Of The World
Australian Dollar(01 of10)
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FUN FACT: Australia was the first country in the world to have a complete set of banknotes made from plastic, which helps protect from counterfeiting and general wear. (credit:Alamy)
Egyptian Pound(02 of10)
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FUN FACT: Egyptian notes are different shapes and sizes based on the denomination and include watermarks and metallic threads for enhanced security.Clarification: An original version of this slide said that Egypt had no specified currency until 1834. In fact, in 1834 the Egyptian Pound became the currency of Egypt, replacing the piastre. (credit:Alamy)
French Polynesian Franc(03 of10)
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FUN FACT: The colorful, floral notes of French Polynesia feature depictions of the land and the native people. (credit:Alamy)
Maldives Rufiyaa(04 of10)
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FUN FACT: The Maldives, made up of over 1,100 islands in the Indian Ocean, exchange colorful rufiyaa as currency. Each banknote depicts a bunch of coconuts and the traditional Dhivehi Odi, a type of boat used for inter-island transport. (credit:Alamy)
Swiss Franc(05 of10)
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FUN FACT: Each brightly-hued Swiss Franc includes two stunning portraits of various cultural icons. Security features include a "tilt effect" which allows the note's denomination to only be seen at an unusual angle. (credit:Alamy)
Hong Kong Dollar(06 of10)
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FUN FACT: Hong Kong's currency includes colorful paper and polymer notes. The notes include eight security features, most of which are visible to the naked eye. (credit:Alamy)
South African Rand(07 of10)
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FUN FACT: South African banknotes feature the "big five" animals of the country, which include the lion and elephant. (credit:Alamy)
Honduran Lempira(08 of10)
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FUN FACT: The lempira note from Honduras is named after a 16th century ruler that led the resistance against Spanish conquistadors. (credit:Alamy)
New Zealand Dollar(09 of10)
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FUN FACT: New Zealand has also adopted the use of polymer notes and recently redesigned all of its notes to reflect distinct cultural aspects of the country. The $10 note (pictured) includes an image of the endangered blue duck. (credit:Alamy)
Canadian Dollar(10 of10)
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FUN FACT: Canada is the latest country to begin issuing polymer notes. Unfortunately, according to the Toronto Star, the bills shrink under extreme heat. (credit:Alamy)
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