STAFF REPORTS - GREENVILLE - The phony $50 bills that were reportedly circulating in Greenville two weeks turned out to be real currency, according to Police Chief Duane Alexander.

The bills were printed in 1934 and had consecutive serial numbers, said the chief. "At that time, the ink used the printing process was made from beef tallow, so it made the bills feel greasy. The colors were also a lot brighter," said Alexander. So when the department used an ink testing kit to determine if the money was genuine, the bills flunked, said the chief. "Even the federal investigators we dealt with hadn't seen currency like this before," said the chief.

An out-of-state couple paid for merchandise and at least one meal in Greenville with the antique bills, but some stores reportedly refused to accept the currency.

Ironically, the bills are probably worth a lot more than their face value, said the Greenville chief. "I've heard some estimates of nearly double their value. I suspect that they needed some vacation money and just opened a strongbox somewhere and didn't realize the real value of the bills."

Alexander added, however, that counterfeiting can still be a potentially-serious problem in tourist areas like the Moosehead Lake region. "When in doubt, don't take the bills and get as much information about the person passing them and a vehicle description," Alexander said.