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CHANGCHUN, March 10-- If banknotes lie forgotten in a corner and end up ruined by mice or damaged in a fire, an eagle-eyed note checker may minimize your losses. With a magnifying glass and a long needle in his hands, Liu Tiefeng, 60, buries himself in a pile of burnt banknotes, searching for any clues that can help determine their authenticity and value. As a currency examiner in a bank in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, Liu is believed to be the best "detective" who can verify the authenticity and face value of badly damaged notes. The notes Liu is working on belong to He, a fruit vendor from a remote village. He hid 30,000 yuan (around 4,700 U.S. dollars), the family's entire savings, in an aluminum case under bed because the nearest bank was far away and he thought it more convenient to keep the cash at home. But the house caught fire and he risked his life to save the case, but the notes were so badly damaged that most banks were unable to verify them. In China, banks must reimburse people with accidentally damaged or defaced banknotes, free of charge. As a general rule, at least three quarters of the original bill needs to remain to receive full value, and for a banknote with half or more but less than three quarters of the original remaining, half the face value will be given. The banknotes that has been damaged but not mutilated can usually be redeemed at a bank, while truly mutilated bills require special handling. | 
