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PRINTING INK - A SECURITY ELEMENT OF BANK NOTES, PART 2

NCJ Number
57478
Author(s)
J MATHYER
Date Published
1977
Length
15 pages
Annotation
THE PROMINENT ROLE OF PRINTING INKS IN THE SAFETY OF BANK NOTES AND SECURITY PAPERS IS DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF SAFEGUARDING AGAINST NATURAL OR ACCIDENTAL RISKS, COUNTERFEITING, AND FALSIFICATION.
Abstract
IN ORDER TO ASSURE THE PERMANENCE OF DESIRABLE FEATURES OF INKS FOR BANK NOTES, THE FIFTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COUNTERFEITING RECOMMENDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SERIES OF CONTROLS OVER INKS FOR BANK NOTES. THESE CONTROLS WERE DEVELOPED ACCORDING TO FOUR MAIN GROUPS: COLORIMETRIC CONTROL, CONTROL OF RHEOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS, CONTROL OF PHYSICAL RESISTANCE, AND CONTROL OF CHEMICAL RESISTANCE. THE CONFERENCE ALSO FOCUSED ON RISKS IN PRESERVING THE INTEGRITY OF BANK NOTES AND SECURITY PAPERS, INCLUDING NATURAL OR ACCIDENTAL RISKS, FORGERY AND COUNTERFEITING RISKS, AND FALSIFICATION RISKS. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BANK NOTES SHOULD BE DESIGNED IN RELATION TO THE EXTENT OF THE COUNTERFEITING RISK ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND SHOULD BE SAFEGUARDED AGAINST COUNTERFEITING RISKS CREATED BY INTRODUCTION OF MACHINES TO MANUFACTURE PLATES AND THE USE OF COLOR COPIERS. IN COUNTERFEITING, INKS CONTRIBUTE TO SAFETY BY OFFERING THE NOTE DESIGNER A WIDE RANGE OF COLORS AND SHADES. IT IS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE FOR SEVERAL COLORS AND TONES SO SHADES CAN BE CHOSEN THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE PROPERLY AND REPRODUCE CORRECTLY. WHERE FALSIFICATION IS CONCERNED, INKS PLAY A MINIMAL ROLE IN THE PROTECTION OF BANK NOTES AND SECURITY PAPERS; AT BEST, INKS RESIST FALSIFICATION BY OFFERING HIGH RESISTANCE TO MECHANICAL OR CHEMICAL ERADICATION DESIGNED TO REMOVE INDICATIONS OF THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT AND TO CONVERT THIS AMOUNT INTO A HIGHER FIGURE. SPECIAL INKS ARE AVAILABLE TO REDUCE RISKS, SUCH AS LUMINESCENT INKS, INKS ABSORBING OR REFLECTING INFRARED LIGHT, MAGNETIC INKS, ELECTROCONDUCTING INKS, SPECIAL INKS FOR OPTICAL READING, AND DOUBLE-TONE INKS. AUTOMATION CAN AID IN THE DETECTION OF FORGED BANK NOTES AND SECURITY PAPERS MORE SO THAN HUMAN OBSERVATION. (DEP)