[Swordmaker]

3.5 Million? In a briefcase?

"A million dollars in new 100 dollar bills has a volume of 643 cubic inches." - US Mint

So 3.5 million dollars would be ~2251 cubic inches.

The average brief case is 3"x18"x12" = 648 cubic inches... just big enough for $1 million. This "brief" case would have to be 10.5 inches thick!

If the cash was unmarked, random serialized, used bills like those prefered in organized crime transfers, the volume increases by 50% ... giving a brief case of 22" thick. If it were $20 bills (also the prefered denomination) the brief case is now the size of a couple of steamer trunks.

Now, if he had said "bearer bonds" then I might believe this story.

[Swordmaker]

Oops, I missed the "in fifities" in the article... multiply my figures by 2.

[_Jim]

3.5 Million? In a briefcase?

I'm glad someone 'ran the numbers' on that claim ...

[Doctor Stochastic]

[From Wikepedia] Modern U.S. currency, regardless of denomination, is 2.61 inches (66.3 mm) wide, 6.14 inches (156 mm) long, and 0.0043 inches (0.109 mm) thick. A single bill weighs about one gram...

Thus 3.5 million would weigh 3,500,000/50 grams or 70,000 grams or 70 kilos or 11 stone.

Size would be 70,000*2.61"*6.14"*.0043" or 21 gallons.