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CERTIFYING THE D.B. COOPER RANSOM BANKNOTESDonn Pearlman writes: I read the story about the DB Cooper note in the last edition of The E-Sylum. I was present at PCGS Currency headquarters when the notes were being examined, and in some cases, pieced together like a jig-saw puzzle. I shot photos, and thought these would be interesting for your readers.
Here's a selection of the photos Donn sent, along with captions and credits. Thanks! For background, first is an excerpt from
Donn's 2008 Press Release, when the notes had just been certified. -Editor
Nearly two dozen $20 denomination notes from the infamous 1971 “D.B. Cooper” skyjacking have been certified by PCGS Currency on behalf of the owner who found them a quarter-century ago. The bills belong to Brian Ingram, 36, of Mena, Arkansas who was eight years old in 1980 when he found the only ransom cash ever recovered from the infamous skyjacking. “Even though the notes were damaged from apparently being in the Columbia River for years, we were able to match serial numbers with those on the FBI’s list of the $200,000 in $20 bills the skyjacker had when he jumped from the jetliner. There was even a Series 1963A star note,” said Laura A. Kessler, Vice President of PCGS Currency (www.PCGSCurrency.com) ... who headed the certification team Brian Ingram & D. B. Cooper Notes
Brian Ingram of Arkansas, who at the age of eight in 1980 found the only ransom money ever discovered from the legendary 1971 “D.B. Cooper” skyjacking, looks at the recovered $20 notes he’s stored for decades in photo albums. He brought the historic notes to PCGS Currency for certification on February 11, 2008. (Photo credit: Donn Pearlman) FBI Agent’s initials on recovered “D. B. Cooper” note
An FBI agent's initials are visible to the left of the portrait on this recovered Series 1969 $20 note (with back plate number 86) from the infamous 1971 “D.B. Cooper” skyjacking ransom. The FBI inventoried and analyzed this and other notes found along the Columbia River near Vancouver, Washington by an eight year old boy on vacation with his parents in 1980. (Photo credit: Phil Arnold/Collectors Universe) D. B. Cooper Note Fragments
It was “PCGS C.S.I.” as fragments of the “D. B. Cooper” ransom notes were carefully pieced together to reveal apparently previously unrecorded serial numbers. (Photo credit: Phil Arnold/Collectors Universe.) Laura A. Kessler carefully holds a DB Cooper note with tweezers
In February 2008, PCGS Currency Vice President, Laura A. Kessler, began the examination of “D. B. Cooper” 1971 skyjacking ransom money, carefully holding one of the recovered $20 notes with tweezers. (Photo credit: Donn Pearlman.) Laura A. Kessler, Brian Ingram & Jason Bradford
Brian Ingram of Arkansas holds a “D. B. Cooper” 1971 skyjacking ransom $20 note he found when he was eight years old. Standing behind him at the February 2008 Long Beach Expo are PCGS Currency Vice President, Laura A. Kessler, and President Jason Bradford. (Photo credit: Donn Pearlman) Donn Pearlman & D. B. Cooper
Some people think former ANA Governor Donn Pearlman resembles the skyjacker known as “D. B. Cooper.” Coincidence? (Photo credit: Jason Bradford/PCGS Currency.) To read the complete 2008 Press Release see:
To read the earlierE-Sylum article, see:
Wayne Homren, Editor The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org. To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum All Rights Reserved. NBS Home Page Contact the NBS webmaster 
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