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Once you get used to a currency, you subconsciously are aware of anything that is slightly off. This is absolutely the perfect time to pass bills in a busy environment. A slight imperfection would be less noticeable by somebody who has only seen a few of the real ones.

This is absolutely true. The more you handle the real stuff, the easier it is to catch the counterfeit. (Interestingly, I once heard an interesting sermon on this by the now Bishop of Central Diocese of FL. His argument was, why study the devil and his ilk, when if you know the real, if will be easier to recognize the false?) True with money, for sure.

I have been handling bills since I started my vending machine business 10 years ago. Even though I'm just counting them, and not really "checking" them for forgeries, I can catch them in an instant. Same for coins. I can "feel" the difference if it is Canadian, or S. American, or a slug, even before I look at it.

But with the busy holiday season upon us, I imagine that it will be easier to pass these bills.

And the person who mentioned that changing the bills devalues it abroad is absolutely spot on. I fail to understand why Pres. Bush and Sec. Treasury Snow feel it necessary to devalue our currency.