News

New banknote security features on display at DC conference

May 23, 2016

Giesecke & Devrient is showcasing new banknote security and Industry 4.0 solutions this week at the Banknote Conference in Washington.

The new concepts and security features are based on intuitive perception, according to a press release from G&D.

The combination of micromirror and ColourShift technology creates new optically variable effects that can be integrated or applied in high-security substrates. The company said that even inexperienced observers will notice the dynamic color shifts and movement effects caused when the banknote is tilted, no matter how poor the lighting.

With the registered security thread "Registered RollingStar," every thread window has its own content. And, the release said, RollingStar Lead allows new effects and designs to be used on security laminating film, thus achieving a higher level of anti-counterfeiting security.

This is enhanced by covert security features, such as magnetism or electrical conductivity, that can only be detected by a processing system. Features that are only visible in UV or polarized light are also used, G&D said.

"Banknotes are an integral part of modern life," said Ralf Wintergerst, member of the G&D management board and group executive of Banknote. "We need cash just as much as we need digital or mobile payment methods. We need both pillars in order to make sure that our currency system is stable. And security is the number one issue in both areas. After all, people will only trust means of payment when they know that they are secure. Innovation and technological advances are the key to guaranteeing this security."

"Banknotes are the safest means of payment in the world," said Dr. Wolfram Seidemann, CEO for Louisenthal. "According to the European Central Bank's last study into the security of the euro, for example, banknotes are 99.9975 percent secure. These days, the challenge in designing new series of banknotes is in meeting the public's requirements as well as those of professional participants in the cash cycle. The design has to reconcile the aesthetics and functionality of banknotes and, at the same time, ensure that they function properly in the cash cycle. Security features therefore have to be harmonized with one another as much as possible, while also guaranteeing simple authentication and the best machine readability."