American Counterfeit Expositer

First published in the mid-19th century, H. C. Foote’s American Counterfeit Expositer serves as one of the earliest and most fascinating guides to the world of forgery, deception, and financial crime in a rapidly expanding United States.

Written at a time when paper money was issued by hundreds of local banks and counterfeiters flourished in the confusion, Foote’s exposé was designed to help merchants, tradesmen, and citizens identify fraudulent notes and safeguard their livelihood. It includes descriptions of counterfeit bills, engravers’ marks, security devices, and criminal operations, blending practical instruction with thrilling glimpses into the underworld of early American commerce.

Part manual, part true-crime record, The American Counterfeit Expositer stands as a remarkable artifact of its age—where faith in money was as fragile as the paper it was printed on, and trust itself had to be learned by eye and hand.

Complete and unabridged edition of H. C. Foote’s rare 19th-century counterfeit detector

Authentic reference to early American currency, forgery, and criminal enterprise

A key resource for collectors of numismatics, financial history, and true crime

Essential reading for those interested in the shadowed origins of American banking and commerce