DB Cooper

[olemisscub 543]

1 hour ago, FLYJACK said:

 

 

TBAR erosion pattern..

For the hell of it I decided to upload a bunch of the Cooper money photos to ChatGPT. I explained that it washed up on a beach originally in a bundle and asked what would be the cause of the edges looking that way. 

• Soil Acidity & Microbial Activity:

  • Paper currency buried underground is vulnerable to fungi, bacteria, and acidic soil.

  • These eat away at the cellulose fibers, starting from exposed edges.

  • That’s why the edges are more deteriorated—microbes attack from the outside in.

• Water Damage (Floodplain or Tidal Influence):

  • Repeated wetting and drying cycles from a tidal area or seasonal flooding cause the paper to delaminate and rot unevenly.

  • Saltwater or brackish water could accelerate this if found near a coast or estuary.

• Oxygen Deprivation (Partial Anaerobic Conditions):

  • In deeper soil or under dense sediment, oxygen is limited, slowing decomposition in the core of the bundle.

  • This can explain why some interior pieces might be more intact than the outer ones.

• Compression from the Rubber Band:

  • The rubber band would have held the bundle together tightly for a time, protecting the inner bills slightly.

  • However, over time, rubber decays, and the band either breaks or fuses with the outer bills, sometimes leaving distinct discoloration or causing distortion.

  • Bills on the outside of the bundle would have taken the brunt of environmental damage.

• Sediment Abrasion:

  • If the bundle was moved by floodwaters or a shifting riverbank, sand and silt could act like sandpaper, rounding and fraying the edges.

 

I then asked it if rolling along the bottom of the river could cause that damage....

 

Yes—rolling submerged along the bottom of a river could absolutely cause the rounded, scalloped edges you see in the image. In fact, that kind of mechanical erosion is one of the most plausible explanations for the distinctive damage pattern.

Here’s how that would work:

1. Constant Abrasion:

   • As the bundle tumbles or slides along the riverbed, it gets scraped by sand, gravel, and small rocks.

   • This slowly wears away the outer edges of the bills—just like how rocks in a river become smooth and rounded over time.

2. Edge-First Damage:

   • Since bills are thin and flexible, the edges are most exposed during tumbling.

   • Repeated folding, flapping, and scraping action causes the edges to fray, break, and wear away, creating those irregular, rounded contours.

3. Bundle Dynamics:

   • If the bills were still in a rubber band (even partially decayed), the bundle would roll and drag as a single unit, meaning the outer bills would absorb most of the damage.

   • Interior bills might remain more intact—especially if compressed.

4. Water Saturation and Fiber Breakdown:

   • Prolonged submersion softens the paper (cotton/linen blend), weakening its fibers.

   • This makes it more susceptible to tearing and abrasion, especially at the edges.

   • Combined with mechanical motion, this would produce rounded and lace-like damage—exactly what we see.

     How Long Would It Take?

   • It would likely take weeks to months of tumbling in a moderately strong river current to cause this degree of damage.

   • A single storm event or spring flood could also loosen a buried bundle and send it rolling.

[Nicholas Broughton 73]

On 6/28/2025 at 4:50 PM, georger said:

Interesting. I talked to Tom this afternoon. So far as I know, Tom has not changed his opinion. Tom does NOT believe  'the money rolled along the bottom of the River.'

Tom has your email and may reply to you, but Tom is very busy preparing for a trip etc.

Tom stressed today that the bills were not constrained or compressed in the middle - diatoms were able to enter the middle of the bundles -  bundles were compressed near the ends probably due to rubber bands at those locations which constrained diatom entry.

Has anyone done any tests with bank straps? Tom hasn't. Tom did not do any strap tests because at the time straps were not part of the money packaging scenario. I know one person who has started doing tests with tests in pond water but this is brand new. The straps have not dissolved and after a week dont appear to be dissolving.They have swelled very slightly. They have become opaque. I mentioned this to Tom today. I suggested to Tom today that if straps were part of the packaging perhaps by the time the Ingram encountered the money 'the straps or strap remains' might not have even been visible or identifiable! Tom laughed and remarked: 'that might be a distinct possibility'. Tom remarked that the Ingrams engaged in a serious cleaning effort and any remains of straps might have been washed away.

I would invite anyone who wants to do some strap tests, since straps are now a part of the Cooper discussion.

On a personal note I applaud Tom for making an effort to stay current and respond to people. Tom makes announcements and is staying current.

Tom talked about this at CC23. Here is a video of the presentation in case anyone missed it.
 

 

Edited Monday at 04:10 AM by Nicholas Broughton