Bank Notes

Optical Security Device (Colour Change Patch)

The Optical Security Device (OSD) is a unique, state-of-the-art security feature developed by the National Research Council of Canada. The OSD is a reflective square of film composed of very thin layers of metallic and ceramic materials allowing it to change colours, from gold to green when tilted. The OSD cannot be copied by normal printing and photographic processes and it cannot be peeled off the note as one piece. It appears on the face of the Birds of Canada series in the upper left corner of $20, $50, $100, and $1000 notes.

Planchettes, commonly referred to as green dots, appear randomly throughout the bank note and glow (fluoresce) under ultraviolet light. They are mixed into the paper pulp during the manufacturing process. Planchettes appearing on the surface of the bank note can be picked off with a sharp object and when removed leave a small white dot on the bank note. It is unlikely that counterfeit bank notes would have this feature.

Intaglio printing is used on the numerals, portrait, coat of arms, broad bands, signatures, and the vignette of the Parliament Buildings. The raised print can be felt on all bank notes, but this effect is reduced over time as the note wears.

Intaglio printing is a technique where portions of a design are hand-engraved or etched onto steel plates. The recessed areas are filled with ink, which is transferred to the paper under extremely high pressure. This creates a three-dimensional quality due to the different thicknesses of ink.

Both sides of a bank note are edged with multidirectional, fine-line patterns that appear to the naked eye as continuous colour.

The denomination numeral of the bank note is consistently repeated in the wavy multi-coloured lines appearing in the background on the front of the bank note.

The fine lines found between the large, broad bands on the front of the bank note are made up of the words "Bank of Canada 20 Banque du Canada 20." (The numeral represents the denomination of the bank note.)

Serial Number

The serial number consists of a prefix of three letters followed by a unique seven-digit number printed twice on the back of each bank note.

Colour is difficult to match and a difference in tone may be noticed when comparing a suspect note with a note known to be genuine.