INDEPTH: COUNTERFEIT
Counterfeit money
CBC News Online | Oct. 13, 2004
Features to stop forgers
QUICK
FACTS: |
Counterfeit bills are
turning up across the country in smaller denominations
77 per cent of fake bills seized in 2003 were 5s,
10s or 20s.
Security features found on bank notes:
- Raised ink on the words "Bank of Canada", the portrait
on the bill, and the Coat of Arms
- Iridescent maple leaves
- Hidden number
- Well-defined lines in the facial features of the
portrait
- Microprinting
- A serial number printed twice on the back of each
note MORE>>
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It might seem like most stores are loathe to accept those
$100 bills you hand over when paying for your purchase. Same
cashiers may react to a $50 bill with a blank stare.
The Bank of Canada says large bills aren't being
turned away nearly as often as they used to be. Its latest
survey shows that 96 per cent of retail outlets will accept
your $50 and $100 bills.
Some provinces, however, have regulations requiring businesses
to accept exact amounts of cash to settle debts. But
the law is mute on providing change, for example when you
hand over a $50 bill to pay for a $40 item.
The forgeries can be very accurate, the Bank of Canada admits.
Store owners say many forgeries pass the ultra-violet (UV)
light test used to find counterfeit bills.
However, the forgeries may not look completely authentic.
The metallic patch in the upper-left corner, for example,
may be gold in a forged bill, while the patch on the real
bill changes from gold to green when tilted.
The ink on a fake bill may run if you put water on it. As
well, the detail in a legitimate bill, such as the fine lines
in the eyes of the portrait, might not be duplicated perfectly
in a forgery.
Security
features
The new bills include several upgraded security features designed
to foil counterfeiters.
![](/web/20061030023710im_/http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/counterfeit/gfx/new100_front.jpg)
© Bank of Canada/Banque du
Canada
The new $100 bill was introduced
in March 2004 |
- When the bill is tilted, brightly coloured numerals (100)
and maple leaves will "move" within the holographic
stripe. There is a colour-split within each maple leaf.
- Watermarked portrait. Hold the note to a light
and a small ghost-like image of the portrait appears to
the left of the large numeral (100).
- Windowed colour-shifting thread. Hold the note
to the light and a continuous, solid line appears. From
the back of the note, the thread resembles a series of exposed
metallic dashes that shift from gold to green when the bill
is tilted.
- See-through number. Hold the note to the light
and the irregular marks on the front and back will form
a perfectly aligned number 100.
The bank unveiled a new $50 bill on October 13, 2004. It
will release the bill into circulation in late November.
In 2005, the Bank of Canada plans to upgrade
the $10 again. Here are some more enhanced security
features on the latest $10 bill.
- A glowing blue Canadian coat of arms and red security
fibres appear when viewed under UV light.
- A hidden number 10 can be seen here when the bill
is viewed along its edge.
- The golden maple leaves shimmer when the bill is
tilted.
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