Counterfeit Money (w/ Special Guest Lisa Orkin)

Hey, Counties!

How’s that isolation going? We hope you’re healthy and safe.

As always, each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Today, we learn about counterfeit money.

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Counterfeit history:

Counterfeiting money is thought to be the world's second oldest profession.It dates back to the ancient civilization of Lydia (modern day Turkey).Counterfeiters would shave off the edges of coins and mix the precious metals with base metals.In the 1690s in England, the punishment for "clipping silver" was hanging, burning at the stake, and drawing and quartering.

Interview with Lisa (a counterfeit coin)
Meet Lisa, a counterfeit coin who lives in a shallow dish on a dresser in Studio City. She believes she was created in the 1760s, but appraisers believe she was created in the 1930s and made to look older. She thinks a lot about what's "real" and what's "fake," beyond the scope of coins and currency. She's friendly with the bracelet she's situated next to and hopes to one day retire as a charm on that bracelet. Learn more in this interview!

Top scams:

The Money Painter - JS G Boggs (started drawing in the '80s)He was an artist and drew money. He never sold his counterfeit money but he would use it to pay for items and then would keep his receipts.Albert Talton (2000s) He was able to produce and counterfeit more than $7M in faux currency which was used before he was caught in 2007.Frank Bourassa (2010s) Was able to pass off more than $250M in fake money.Only made $20 bills.He still knows where the missing $50M is, and he is out and about since he only spent 1.5 months in jail in 2014.Wayne Victor Denis - (the 90s)Produced $12M in fake money (only got 4 years in prison) and wrote a memoir from jail about the experience.Viktor Baranov (1970s)Replicated the most complex Soviet coin, using a unique machine that he invented.He was one of the first people to be caught and people still use his techniques today.

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Lisa, the counterfeit coin, was played by Lisa Orkin of Project Woo Woo.

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