Ever wondered what happens when you try to photocopy money? If you’re like many, you might think it’s as easy as pressing a button and waiting for the magic to happen. But according to TikTok user Arun Maini (@mrwhosetheboss), there’s a whole lot more going on beneath the surface of your average currency note.
So, what’s the deal with photocopying money? Arun decided to put it to the test. He first tried to copy a dollar bill, only to be greeted with a stern warning: “The original cannot be copied.” No surprise there—counterfeiting laws are pretty strict. But things took an interesting turn when Arun swapped the dollar for a British pound note. This time, the machine didn’t just reject the attempt, it didn’t even bother with a message. Instead, it went straight to cancelling the job. Perplexed and eager to see if his photocopier was simply being finicky, Arun tried a different tack. He slid a piece of Monopoly money into the machine, and it copied just fine.
So, what’s going on here? The British pound and many other currencies hide a clever little secret. Arun explains, “Hidden on this pound note is actually a very specific pattern known as the Yurion constellation because of its similarity to the Orion star constellation.” This pattern is so subtle that you’d hardly notice it at first glance, but it’s precisely what every scanner is designed to recognize to prevent money copying.
It turns out that this anti-counterfeiting feature isn’t unique to British pounds. If you look closely, you’ll spot similar patterns in other currencies. The euro, for instance, has its variations. The dollar uses a more intricate design, with the note’s value contributing to the pattern, making it even harder to replicate. And if you think the British pound’s design is elaborate, the Japanese yen takes things to a whole new level, “The Japanese yen is absolutely crazy. These guys actually hide the pattern within flowers on the note,” he says.
What’s fascinating about this is the level of detail and thought that goes into preventing counterfeiting. It’s not just about making sure the ink looks right or the paper feels correct, it’s about embedding invisible safeguards that are detectable only by specialized equipment. In a way, it’s a small but significant piece of design and technology working together to protect our money.
People shared their stories when they tried to pull a similar stunt. “My dad said if you tried to photocopy money it would alert the police to your house,” said @hydroglyphic. “Some printers which are connected to the internet do alert the authorities when you do so,” commented @adygregz. “So what about if I want to photocopy a picture of the Orion constellation? Will it not copy that either?” asked @keyser_soze11. While Maini shared that it’s not possible to photocopy money, people debated and shared some experiences, “You can change the printer from the mainframe and change the software. Very easy to get around this,” said @privateuser74785.
You can follow Arun Maini (@mrwhosetheboss) on TikTok for more lifestyle content.
