Gardai are advising the public of counterfeit/fake €20 notes in circulation in County Roscommon in recent weeks.
The authenticity of a euro banknote can be checked very easily with the test “Feel – Look – Tilt”.
FEEL : Quick test with Feeling
Special printing processes give banknotes their unique feel. Banknote paper should feel firm and non-slip.
Tactile relief: Feel the surface of the banknote. On the front side, a series of short raised lines can be felt on the left and right edges (These lines enable people with visual impairments in particular to distinguish between the individual banknote values). A relief can also be felt in the main motif, script and large number of values.
LOOK : Quick test with vision
Portrait watermark (2): Look at the banknote against the light. A shadowy motif becomes visible in which a portrait of the mythological figure Europe, the value of the banknote and the main motif can be seen. If you place the banknote on a dark surface, the light areas become darker. The portrait also appears in the hologram.
Security thread (4): Look at the banknote against the light. The security thread appears as a dark stripe. It shows the € symbol and the value of the banknote in very small white letters.
Micro-lettering (5): At several places of the banknote motif, there is micro-lettering, which looks pin sharp even under a magnifying glass.
Portrait window (7): Look at the banknote against the light. The window at the top of the hologram becomes transparent. In it appears a portrait of Europe that can be seen from both sides of the note. When the note is tilted, the value of the banknote surrounded by rainbow-coloured lines can also be seen in the window. On the back, the small rainbow-colored value number appears several times in the window.
TILT: Quick test with tilting
Emerald Number (3): Tilt the banknote. At the bottom left you see a shiny number on which a light bar moves up and down. In addition, the number changes its colour from emerald green to deep blue.
Portrait hologram (6): Tilt the banknote. The hologram – the silver stripe on the right side of the front – shows a portrait of the mythological figure Europe, the € symbol, the main motif and the value of the Banknote.
Portrait window (7): Look at the banknote against the light. The window at the top of the hologram becomes transparent. In it appears a portrait of Europe that can be seen from both sides of the note. When the note is tilted, the value of the banknote surrounded by rainbow-coloured lines can also be seen in the window. On the back, the small rainbow-colored value number appears several times in the window.
