Christopher or Khachatour Der-Serobyan is known as the inventor of the unique, tamperproof chemical composition of black and green dyes for the US dollar.
In 1842, Der-Serobyan moved to the US and entered Yale University, where he studied chemistry, medicine, and theology. In 1843, during chemical trials, Der-Serobyan found a unique composition of a dye, which was impossible to falsify or duplicate.
He patented his invention in 1854, but for security reasons, the information on the patent was kept strictly confidential till recently.
Thereby, Der-Serobyan became the first Armenian who was granted a US patent! The inventor was awarded a US government medal for his invention, as well as a grant of $6,000 US Dollars printed with his own invented dyes. (Worth over $200,000 in today’s currency) He used the money to continue his education at Yale University and graduated as a pharmacist.
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