💵 WHAT ARE THE SAFETY FEATURES IN A CURRENCY NOTE THAT CAN’T BE EASILY DUPLICATED?
Currency notes are works of anti-counterfeiting science. Central banks like the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and others embed multiple layers of visible and invisible security features in each note to prevent forgery.
Here are the most important and hard-to-duplicate safety features:
🔐 1. Watermark
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A faint image (usually of a national symbol or leader) appears when held to light.
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Not printed, but embedded into the paper itself.
📌 Hard to copy because it requires special paper and technology.
🧵 2. Security Thread
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A thin, shiny strip running through the note.
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Often partially embedded and visible from both sides.
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Changes color or has text (like "RBI", denomination).
📌 Difficult to duplicate due to special metallic printing and alignment.
🌈 3. Color-Shifting Ink
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Used in numerals or symbols (e.g., ₹500, ₹2000).
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Changes color (e.g., green to blue) when tilted.
📌 Requires specialized ink and printing — not available to forgers.
🔍 4. Microlettering
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Tiny text (e.g., “RBI” or note value) that is only visible under a magnifying glass.
📌 Very hard to print clearly without industrial precision.
🎥 5. Latent Image
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A hidden image or number appears only when viewed at an angle.
📌 Involves advanced printing layers and alignment.
🧱 6. Intaglio Printing (Raised Print)
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Raised texture in certain parts (like the portrait, note value, RBI emblem).
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You can feel it with your fingers.
📌 Can’t be easily mimicked by standard printers or copiers.
🪞 7. See-Through Register
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Front and back have partial designs that perfectly align to form a full image when held to light.
📌 Requires exact paper alignment during printing — hard to replicate.
🔬 8. Ultraviolet (UV) Features
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Certain parts glow only under UV light — like security fibers, serial number, or special symbols.
📌 Completely invisible in normal light.
🧬 9. Embedded Security Fibers
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Tiny colored threads (red, blue, green) are embedded randomly in the note paper.
📌 Mixed during papermaking — can’t be printed or imitated later.
🔄 10. Serial Numbering Patterns
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Unique serial numbers, with variations in size, spacing, and font.
📌 Easily traceable and monitored by the central bank.
👁️🗨️ 11. Tactile Marks for the Visually Impaired
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Special dots, bars, or lines in raised print to indicate denomination.
📌 Useful for accessibility and hard to forge due to raised texture.
🔒 BONUS: New Technologies (in high-denomination or special notes)
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Holographic strips, 3D security ribbons
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QR codes, invisible digital tags
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Polymer notes (used in some countries like Australia)
📌 Final Summary:
| Feature | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Watermark | Hidden image only visible under light |
| Security Thread | Metallic strip hard to replicate |
| Color-Changing Ink | Requires special material |
| Microlettering | Invisible without magnifier |
| UV Features | Visible only under UV light |
| Intaglio | Can be felt by touch |
| See-Through Design | Matches only in real note |
| Embedded Fibers | Mixed during paper manufacturing |