Did you know Fort Worth is one of two places U.S. currency is printed?

Fort Worth holds a rare distinction shared by only one other location in the nation. It is one of just two places in the entire United States where our paper currency is printed.

The Bureau of Engraving & Printing’s Western Currency Facility at 9000 Blue Mound Road produces billions of dollars each year, working alongside the bureau’s original facility in Washington, D.C. Together, the two locations are responsible for printing all U.S. paper money in circulation. If you check your wallet and see the letters “FW” on a dollar bill, it was printed right here in Fort Worth, Texas. Any bills without a “FW” were produced in Washington, D.C.

So why Fort Worth?

The Fort Worth facility began producing currency in December 1990 as part of a federal effort to expand production capacity and better serve the western half of the country. Fort Worth was selected due to strong local support and the donation of land for the project, making it an ideal location for the second printing site.

Today, the Western Currency Facility plays a critical role in the nation’s financial infrastructure. Inside the highly secure building, sheets of currency move through each stage of production, from engraving and printing to inspection and cutting before being distributed by the Federal Reserve.

Money on your mind?

The public can get a closer look at the process through free self-guided tours offered every Tuesday through Friday, excluding federal holidays, of course. Tours run from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and visitors can experience each step of money production, with opportunities to see millions of dollars being printed in real time.

About the facility

Today, the facility spans roughly 750,000 square feet and produces more than half of the nation’s currency. In recent years, Fort Worth has printed about 60% of all U.S. paper money, producing roughly 19 million notes a day across the major denominations.

More than 800 people work at the Western Currency Facility, where security features such as color-shifting ink, security threads and microprinting are added to protect against counterfeiting.

Photo: Stacks of newly printed U.S. currency move through a production line at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s Western Currency Facility in Fort Worth. Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing via VisitFortWorth.com.

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