Topic: Doodling on Abe

[writermutt]

So...my MG character gets bored and colors Abe's lips on a $5 bill. This plays into later helping her to recognize her $ that falls into someone else's hands. The more I've thought about this, though, is it illegal? I mean, I think many children have at one time or another doodled on money. But I don't want to leave this in my ms if it encourages doing something that's considered illegal, no matter how minor it may seem. After looking online, I can't really find a conclusive answer.

Thoughts anyone?

I also appreciate any other ideas to make one's money recognizable, without doodling on it.

Thanks!

[Joni]

My understanding is that it is technically illegal, though they rarely do anything about it (and the "Where's George?" thing blatantly flaunts that), but I did once have a bank refuse to accept a dollar bill in a deposit of a zillion of them (for a business) because it was too marked up. So apparently, technically, it can be refused as legal tender.

[MysteryRobin]

Yeah, technically illegal, but I can't imagine something that small would be a big deal. I've used bills with all kinds of writing all over them...

[dewsanddamps]

My MC does worse than doodle on money, and I worry about that a little. I think it's in the presentation...and the consequences.

[Artemesia]

Well, I'm not sure kids would know this is illegal...can she do it and an older person tells her after the fact that it's technically illegal? Maybe make a joke about turning her in...that way you can still use it in the story, but also offer the information that "kids shouldn't try this at home"...?

[Artemesia]

Or, could there be a special number sequence contained in the serial number (like her b-day) that she would recognize? I can't think of anything else that a kid could do to somehow mark it without defacing it.

[Lill]

I wouldn't worry about it and leave the doodling in. Reading about something isn't going to necessarily encourage somebody to do something,
and doodling on a dollar bill is something a kid is likely to think up on their own. I don't think you have to worry about an epidemic of
bubble lips on dollar bills. Leave it. If it truly is an issue, an editor may ask you to change it when you get to that point.

[TanjaW]

To Doodle or Not to Doodle -- that is the question...
Based on the US Treasury Bureau, intent and to what extent also determines whether it's illegal or not to doodle on a dollar:

Defacement of currency is a violation of Title 18, Section 333 of the United States Code. Under this provision, currency defacement is generally defined as follows: Whoever mutilates, cuts, disfigures, perforates, unites or cements together, or does any other thing to any bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt issued by any national banking association, Federal Reserve Bank, or Federal Reserve System, with intent to render such item(s) unfit to be reissued, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

Defacement of currency in such a way that it is made unfit for circulation comes under the jurisdiction of the United States Secret Service.

Also:

What is Not Mutilated Currency?
Any badly soiled, dirty, defaced, disintegrated, limp, torn, worn, out currency note that is CLEARLY MORE than one-half of the original note, and does not require special examination to determine its value. These notes should be exchanged through your local bank.

http://www.moneyfactory.gov/home.html

Hope that helps!  :azn:

- t

[amberturner]

I dig the idea.

[writermutt]

Thanks, everyone, for the thoughts and additional ideas. For now, at least, I'm running with it!