Ever looked at a stack of cash and realized the Benjamin in your hand looks more like a high-tech art project than a piece of paper? You aren't alone. If you haven't really inspected a C-note since the early 2000s, the current 100 dollar bill color might actually catch you off guard with its subtle shifts from teal to copper and that distinct, almost glowing blue ribbon. It’s a far cry from the "dull green" monochromatic look we grew up with.
Money changes. It has to.
The U.S. Treasury doesn't just wake up and decide they want a prettier wallet. Every single hue, shade, and microscopic ink fleck on the Series 2004 and the subsequent 2013 redesign serves a singular, high-stakes purpose: making life miserable for counterfeiters. When people talk about the 100 dollar bill color, they usually mean that "New Blue" note. It’s officially the most complex piece of currency the United States has ever put into circulation.
The teal, the tan, and the copper
Most people think American money is green. Period. But if you actually lay a new hundred on a white table, you’ll see it’s barely green at all. The background features a soft, pale blue-green wash, but there are also distinct hits of pink and yellow that create a "gradient" effect across the face of the bill. It’s complex.
The color-shifting ink is the real star here.
Look at the bottom right corner. You've got the number 100. It isn't just one color. Depending on how you tilt the paper, it flips from a bright copper to a solid, deep green. This isn't just a fancy trick; it’s OVI—Optical Variable Ink. Real OVI is incredibly expensive and difficult to manufacture, which is why the Treasury uses it so aggressively. If someone tries to scan a bill on a high-end printer, the printer sees one color. It can't replicate the physical "flip" of the ink particles.
Then there’s the Bell in the Inkwell. Honestly, it’s kinda cool. Inside the copper-colored inkwell, there’s a bell that turns green when you move the bill. It disappears and reappears. It’s basically magic for accountants. This specific 100 dollar bill color palette—shifting from metallic earth tones to vibrant greens—is the primary way a cashier at a gas station can tell you're handing them real money without even using a detector pen.
That 3D blue ribbon isn't actually ink
If you look at the center of the bill, there’s a wide blue vertical stripe. This is where people get confused about the 100 dollar bill color. It isn't printed on the paper. It’s actually woven into the paper.
Think about that for a second.
The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) works with Crane Currency to thread this "3D Security Ribbon" directly into the cotton-linen fibers. If you look closely at that blue, you'll see hundreds of thousands of micro-lenses. These lenses magnify the images of bells and "100s" that move as you tilt the bill. When you move the note side to side, the images move up and down. When you move it up and down, they move side to side. It’s a sensory overload that's nearly impossible for a basement printer in North Korea or a sophisticated crime syndicate to mimic perfectly.
Why the "Greenback" era ended
For over a century, the U.S. stuck to a very conservative look. Green ink was durable, it didn't fade easily, and it was chemically resistant. But the rise of the digital scanner changed everything. In the mid-90s, the Treasury realized that monochromatic bills were too easy to fake with a decent inkjet printer.
They started adding "subtle" colors.
By the time the 2013 Series $100$ note hit the streets, the 100 dollar bill color had evolved into a multi-layered security system. The "green" we all associate with money is now relegated mostly to the back of the bill, and even that is a more refined, sophisticated ink than what was used in the 1970s. The back of the current note features a large, gold "100" on the right side. This helps people with visual impairments distinguish the denomination, but it also adds another layer of "unscannable" metallic sheen.
The paper itself isn't white
Here is a secret: the "color" of the bill starts before any ink touches it. U.S. currency paper is a blend of 75% cotton and 25% linen. It has a distinct off-white, slightly cream-colored base.
If you see a $100$ bill that looks "bright" or "stark white," it’s a fake.
Authentic bills also have tiny red and blue security fibers embedded throughout the paper. In the old days, counterfeiters would try to draw these on with fine-tip pens. Now, the 100 dollar bill color is so integrated into the physical structure of the note that a pen mark just looks silly. You can actually see these fibers with a simple magnifying glass. They look like tiny little hairs trapped in the "fabric" of the money.
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How to use color to spot a fake in 5 seconds
You don't need to be a forensic expert. You just need to know what the 100 dollar bill color is supposed to do under pressure.
- Check the Copper 100: Tilt the bill. Does it turn green? If it stays copper or looks "glittery" instead of a smooth color shift, it's a bad sign.
- Look at the Blue Ribbon: Don't just look at the color; look at the movement. The bells and 100s should dance. If it’s just a blue line printed on the surface, give it back.
- The Portrait Watermark: Hold the bill up to a light. You should see a faint image of Benjamin Franklin in the blank space to the right of the portrait. It should be subtle. If the "color" of the watermark looks like it was stamped on with grey ink, it’s a forgery.
- The UV Glow: If you have access to a blacklight, a real $100$ bill has a security thread that glows pink. Not red, not orange. Pink.
The psychology of "New Blue"
There’s a reason the BEP chose blue for the 3D ribbon. Blue is associated with trust and stability in color psychology. It also contrasts sharply with the traditional green of the rest of the currency, making the most important security feature the first thing your eye hits. When you see that specific shade of 100 dollar bill color, your brain instinctively recognizes it as "valuable."
It’s branding as much as it is security.
The transition to the "Big Head" bills in 1996 was the first step, but the 2013 "Blue Note" was the final nail in the coffin for the classic greenback look. Today, the U.S. dollar is a colorful, high-tech document that happens to function as a medium of exchange.
Actionable steps for handling $100$ bills:
- Feel the ink: Run your fingernail across Benjamin Franklin’s shoulder. You should feel "intaglio" printing—a raised texture that is a byproduct of the massive pressure used during the printing process. No color-copier can do this.
- Inspect the microprinting: Look at the "United States of America" on Franklin's jacket collar. The letters are tiny. In a fake, the color usually bleeds, making the letters look like a blurry line.
- Verify the serial numbers: The color of the serial numbers should be a consistent, solid black and green. They should be perfectly spaced.
- Trust your hands: Because of the cotton/linen blend, real money doesn't feel like wood-based paper. It feels like cloth. If the color looks right but it feels like a page from a notebook, it’s probably a counterfeit printed on bleached $1$ dollar bills.
The 100 dollar bill color will likely change again within the next decade. The Treasury is constantly testing new pigments and holographic elements to stay ahead of "supernotes"—highly accurate forgeries often attributed to foreign states. For now, look for the blue, watch for the copper-to-green flip, and remember that if the "green" looks too simple, it probably isn't the real deal.