Practical -3

Aim- To examine the security features of currency/Bank notes

Requirements- Currency note of all the denomination, stereo microscope, magnifying glass, UV
chamber, transmitted light etc

Theory

A banknote also called a bill, paper money, or simply a note is a type of negotiable promissory
note, made by a bank or other licensed authority, payable to the bearer on demand.

Currency notes are any note issued by a government treasury and generally receivable as

legal tender for any debt

A banknote is a negotiable promissory note backed by the central government and issued by the
country's central bank. In contrast, the currency note is a form of a bill or printed paper released
by the nation's monetary authority. Both these notes are circulated for monetary exchange in the
economy

Security features

1. Obverse side

Incident light Features

1) See through feature-The small floral design printed both on the front (hollow) and back
(filled up) of the note in the left side of the note and the right side of the microlettering band.
The design will appear as one floral design when seen against the light.
2) Latent Image-showing the respective denominational value in numeral. The latent image is
visible only when the note is held horizontally at eye level.
3) Number Panel (Exploding font)- It is an intaglio feature, serial number of the currency in
increasing size of font.
4) Promisory note with signature- It is an intaglio feature, present left side of watermark
window.
5) RBI Seal- It is an intaglio feature, present below the promissory clause.
6) Indentification marks- special feature in intaglio has been introduced on the left of the
watermark window on all notes except Rs.50, 20, 10/- note. This feature is in different
shapes for various denominations and helps the visually impaired to identify the
denomination. Present above national emblem.
2000-Rectangle, 500- Circle, 200-H mark, 100- triangle
7) National Emblem- It is an intaglio feature, present at the right corner of the note below
identification mark.
8) Omron features-The feature appears in the form of tiny yellow circles on either side of the
legend 'Reserve Bank of India'. A banknote with this feature, when copied by a colour
photocopier, gives an output with a different colour shade.
9) Bleed lines/Brail marks-special feature in intaglio has been introduced on either side on all
notes starting from Rs.100/- note till 2000 /- . This feature is in different shapes for various
denominations and helps the visually impaired to identify the denomination.
100-total 4 lines in set of 2;
200-total 4 line and 2 circles in between
500- total 5 lines, 2 sets, one single in between 2 sets.
2000-Total 7 lines
10) Security thread-consists of a thin ribbon that is threaded through the note's paper. Usually,
it is made of metal foil, but sometimes of plastic. Windowed security thread alternately
visible on the obverse with the inscriptions ‘Bharat’ (in Hindi), denomination and ‘RBI’, but
totally embedded on the reverse.
11) Optically variable ink- The denomination in english on the left bottom side of the note is
written in OVI. It is also called as dual color ink as it changes its color from blue to green on
tilt.

Transmitted light

1) Watermark- A watermark is an identifying image or pattern in paper that appears as

various shades of lightness/darkness when viewed by transmitted light, caused by thickness
or density variations in the paper. Currency notes have watermark of Mahatma Gandhi,
RBI, and denomination
2) Electrolytic mark- It is present in water mark window next to gandhiji watermark. It is of
respective denomination.

UV light

1) Optical fibres-These are the small thread present throughtout the note. In UV it produces
fluorescence. It is dual color in higher denomonation and single color in lower
denominations.
2) Security thread- It is windowed, the engraving and the thread gives fluorescence in UV light
3) Number panel-It gives fluoresecence in UV light.

Microscopic features-

1) Microlettering- This feature appears on the left side of the note (Denomination, in band
form and in collar part of mathma gandhi)

2. Reverse side
1) Language panel- It contains 15 language. (But the total number of languages on the note is
17)
 2) Year of printing-Present on the left side of the note
3) Swatch Bharat logo-Present on the left bottom side along with slogan.
4) Hetitage site- It is printed in offset type of printing. Different denomination has different
heritage side.
2000- Mangalyaan, 500- Red fort, 200- Sanchi stupa, 100- Rani ki vav, 50- Hampi, 20-
Ellora caves, 10- Konark temple.
5) Numeral in devanagri-Present on right top corner

Procedure-

1. The currency note of different denomination was collected

2. The currency note was first observed in visible light and the features were noted down.
3. The currency notes were thenobserved in UV light and the features were noted down
4. The currency note was observed in microscope for microlettering.
5. The currency note is then observed in transmitted light.
6. The observations were noted down

Observation-

(Example)- In place of numbers write the name of the features.

(Do not print this)

Use these pictures to stick in record- color print out

Result- The security features the bank note are studied for all the denominations.