CPM Forum

General => General Forum Comments => Topic started by: Manada on May 20, 2008, 08:53:14 pm

Title: Shrunken Bill
Post by: Manada on May 20, 2008, 08:53:14 pm
LOL here's a new one I've never seen before listed on ebay.

The seller is selling a $10 Journey, shrunken to half its size after it "fell" in anhydrous ammonia.

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Title: Re: Shrunken Bill
Post by: MAS1 on May 20, 2008, 10:42:50 pm
I wonder if the starting price include both notes  8)
Title: Re: Shrunken Bill
Post by: 1971HemiCuda on May 21, 2008, 07:47:36 am
Wow, That is a weird looking note!
Title: Re: Shrunken Bill
Post by: kid_kc79 on May 21, 2008, 09:27:01 am
That is very odd as everything looks proportionate. I would caution newbie collectors that there is no value to this note because it was altered as such but it does make an interesting novelty note.

Since the owner described how he produced, we might see a few more of these pop up.  :-\

Jason
Title: Re: Shrunken Bill
Post by: Ottawa on May 21, 2008, 03:07:21 pm
I've seen a 1954 $1 bill in F-VF condition that was shrunk to the size of a Shinplaster and it looked very convincing indeed, almost unbelievable in fact. The owner would never reveal to me the scientific basis of the shrinking process though. However, shrunken human heads are well recorded so I suppose a shrunken bill shouldn't surprise us too much!
Title: Re: Shrunken Bill
Post by: Bernard_Schaaf on May 21, 2008, 06:34:33 pm
Many  years  ago  I  saw  a  US  bill  of similar size.  That  bill  had  a  "ruffled"  surface,  created  when  it  been  run  through a  machine  that  made  crepe  paper.   Can anyone tell  if  the  advertised  bill has  a  smooth  surface  or  a  ruffled  surface??    Bernard
Title: Re: Shrunken Bill
Post by: Manada on May 21, 2008, 06:44:30 pm
The note is definitely ruffled.
Title: Re: Shrunken Bill
Post by: copperpete on May 21, 2008, 09:05:22 pm
I'm wondering about how this note could had "fell" into anhydrous ammonia... 

For those who don't know what is anhydrous ammonia, it's the pure gas ammonia which can be condensed into it's liquid form, but it' fairly cold:  -33°C at it's boiling point.  Not to be confused with the solution of ammonia sold in the commerce (which contains water).  It's not the kind of stuff you can get at the local hardware...

So  if you soak a note in liquid anhydrous ammonia and remove from it, the liquid will evaporate quickly.  The note isn't really "wetted" because there is no water present.  I think that this note cannot have fell accidentally, but soaked deliberately, maybe just to see what will happen when you soak a note into dry ammonia (by simple curiosity).  The shrinking could be caused by a chemical alteration of the paper by the pure ammonia.  If I had anhydrous ammonia on hand, I would try this experiment myself (and gladly post the results) :D.
Title: Re: Shrunken Bill
Post by: venga50 on May 22, 2008, 08:07:43 am
Dammit, where's the Professor from Gilligan's Island when you need him??!  :D