If you’ve ever taken a close look at a $20 bill and noticed a strange marking—like what appears to be a bow and arrow symbol—you’re not alone. Many people are startled when they spot unusual shapes, symbols, or marks on U.S. currency and immediately wonder: Is this a secret code? A rare error? Or a sign the bill is fake?
The reality is far less mysterious—but still fascinating.
First Things First: That Symbol Is Not Part of the Official Design
The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing does not include any bow-and-arrow symbols in the official design of the $20 bill. Every legitimate feature—portraits, seals, serial numbers, watermarks, and security threads—is well documented.
So if you’re seeing a bow-and-arrow-like shape, it didn’t come from the U.S. Mint.
The Most Likely Explanation: A Teller or Bank Stamp Mark
In most cases, markings like this are caused by bank processing stamps or teller marks.
Banks, armored transport services, casinos, and large retailers often stamp or mark bills for internal tracking, verification, or sorting. Over time, these stamps can:
- Fade
- Smudge
- Partially transfer
- Overlap with other marks
When that happens, the result can look like a symbol—sometimes resembling arrows, crowns, animals, or, yes, even a bow and arrow.
What About the Yellow “20” Dots on the Bill?
You may also notice small yellow “20” markings scattered across the bill. These are intentional—but they’re not part of the bill’s artwork either.
These are known as printer tracking dots.
What Are Printer Tracking Dots?
- Tiny yellow dots printed by some color laser printers
- Used to encode information like the printer’s serial number and print time
- Added invisibly (to the naked eye at first glance) for anti-counterfeiting and tracking purposes
If your $20 bill was scanned, copied, or processed through certain machines at some point, these dots can become more noticeable.
Could It Be a Counterfeit Marker?
Another common source of strange symbols is counterfeit detection pens.
- These pens react with starch in normal paper
- On real currency (which is cotton-linen based), they shouldn’t leave dark marks
- On some bills, though, the ink can fade unevenly or spread, creating odd shapes
When multiple marks overlap or degrade, the result can look intentional—even symbolic.
Is the Bill Still Valid?
Yes. As long as the bill:
- Has proper texture
- Passes basic security checks (watermark, security thread, color-shifting ink)
- Is not excessively damaged
…it remains legal tender, even with stamps, doodles, or strange marks.
U.S. currency often travels through thousands of hands, machines, and institutions. It’s normal for bills to pick up unusual markings along the way.
Is It Rare or Valuable?
In most cases, no.
Only true printing errors—such as misaligned prints, missing elements, or double impressions from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing—carry collector value. Random stamps or markings added after circulation usually don’t increase a bill’s worth.
That said, they do make the bill interesting—and a great conversation starter.
The Bottom Line
That bow-and-arrow-looking symbol on your $20 bill isn’t a secret message or hidden code. It’s almost certainly the result of:
- A bank or teller stamp
- Processing marks
- Counterfeit detection ink
- Or overlapping wear from circulation
Your bill is still real, still spendable, and still doing what money does best—traveling the world in unexpected ways.
So next time you spot something strange on your cash, take a closer look. Every bill has a story—you just happened to notice one of its chapters.
