ChatterBank1 min ago
Bank note testing
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My understanding is that the pen contains a weak solution of iodine. Most papers available to ordinary people contain starch. Iodine and starch react to give a dark coloured complex which the shopkeeper sees as a prominent mark.
The paper used for genuine banknotes contains no starch and the pen colour will not change. Once used the iodine evaporates and the banknote appears clean again.
Yes forgers gan get round it - if they can get hold of genuine banknote paper.
Of course, there are many more anti-forgery features designed into banknotes. No one should rely on the pen alone to detect fakes.
loosehead, gen2 is mostly correct. However, there are many factors which make these pens extremely unreliable as counterfeit detection. One example would be if a banknote had ever been through a washing machine or been loose in the pocket of a starched shirt for a while. Most places that use these pens and the small uv lights that you see around don't actually know what they are looking for anyway.
There are many security features incorporated into banknotes around the world, there are many different types and in this country not very many are actually incorporated into our notes as there is no counterfeit problem here. There are covert features which the general public and retailers will not know about and overt or public recognition features which are obvious and include the watermark, the thread and holograms.
Also the chance of any criminals stealing real banknote paper is quite laughable in this country
xrayspecs, it's ironic that you mention delarue. They are my current employers!
Th uk banknotes are probably only about 5/10 in terms of security as there isn't a particularly big counterfeit problem in this country. The reason for this is that circulated currency returns to the bank very quickly due to retailers banking takings on a very regular basis. Contrast this with African or Middle Eastern countries where the majority of the trading still occurs in markets and villages with no real banking network, the notes in these countries do not return to the banks for some time massively increasing the opportunity for effective distribution of counterfeits!
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