Hidden Art In Your Pocket
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Hidden Art In Your Pocket
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HIDDEN ART IN YOUR POCKET They look like the work of an exciting modern artist, but these amazing images can actually be found in your POCKET. For these stunning displays of ultraviolet art appear on banknotes and official documents.
The vivid patterns and intricate designs are anticounterfeiting measures inbuilt into money and passports in order to make them harder to copy.
But they can only be viewed when placed under UV light sources. The full beauty of the hidden art was discovered by accident by photographer Louise Murray during some summer holiday fun. She explains: "I'd got together some specialist ultraviolet flashes and torches to look for fluorescent patterns in flowers with my 16 yearold niece.
"We were in my blacked out kitchen and were drawing a blank on petunias and geraniums when the ultraviolet torch shone on to Amethyst's passport revealing an amazing pattern right over the photograph. Under normal daylight it is invisible." Inspired by the discovery, and figuring that the patterns were there to make the passport harder to copy, Louise started to screen her large collection of banknotes brought back from travels all over the world.
Her amazing discoveries highlight the beauty in notes as varied as the Danish 100 kroner note, the five peso note from the Dominican Republic and the South African 100 Rand.
"Uncovering these beautiful but hidden pieces of art that we carry around with us was great fun," she says. Most countries have incorporated invisible fluorescent inks in complicated designs into their banknotes, currency and passports as part of a host of security measures against counterfeiting. Others also embed fluorescent fibres in different colours into the actual paper of the currency. A Scot herself, Louise was very pleased to find some of the best hidden designs on bank notes were issued by the Scottish banks. Jamie Martin, Head of Cash & Clearing Supplier Services at the
passports as part of a host of security measures against counterfeiting. Others also embed fluorescent fibres in different colours into the actual paper of the currency.
A Scot herself, Louise was very pleased to find some of the best hidden designs on bank notes were issued by the Scottish banks.
Jamie Martin, Head of Cash & Clearing Supplier Services at the Clydesdale Bank commented: "We have a range of antiforgery devices on our bank notes including ultraviolet designs. We have always sought to integrate these features in an appropriate and sympathetic manner."
The only surprising thing about the search for these hidden art works was their total absence on the US dollar, even the one hundred dollar bill, which has got to be at the top of most forger's lists.
Today's Bank of England notes, designed by Roger Withington and showing the Queen's portrait by Andrew Ward, are known as Series E. The threat of forgery informs almost every aspect of the notes' designs. The first barely visible watermark was incorporated into English paper money in 1697, and the specialist paper, which gives currency its all important feel made of a special cottonlinen blend was first created by Henry Portal in 1724.
Famous faces make notes familiar, but they are a security feature in themselves it is easier to detect inaccuracies in portraits than in earlier geometric designs. Similarly, fine line work is employed to make the notes more difficult to copy. The metal strip made its first appearance in 1943, when the Germans attempted to destabilise the currency with forgeries during WWII. Other security features present today include foil holograms and microlettering.
Unsurprisingly the inks used on the notes are not easy to buy over the counter.
MUST CREDIT PICTURES BY Louise Murray/Rex Features Words: LM/DM
© Rex Features
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Statement | Registered in England
Copyright Rex Features. For viewing purposes only. Not to be reproduced without permission. Contact: [email protected]
Hidden Art In Your Pocket
Get printable version
Article
HIDDEN ART IN YOUR POCKET They look like the work of an exciting modern artist, but these amazing images can actually be found in your POCKET. For these stunning displays of ultraviolet art appear on banknotes and official documents.
The vivid patterns and intricate designs are anticounterfeiting measures inbuilt into money and passports in order to make them harder to copy.
But they can only be viewed when placed under UV light sources. The full beauty of the hidden art was discovered by accident by photographer Louise Murray during some summer holiday fun. She explains: "I'd got together some specialist ultraviolet flashes and torches to look for fluorescent patterns in flowers with my 16 yearold niece.
"We were in my blacked out kitchen and were drawing a blank on petunias and geraniums when the ultraviolet torch shone on to Amethyst's passport revealing an amazing pattern right over the photograph. Under normal daylight it is invisible." Inspired by the discovery, and figuring that the patterns were there to make the passport harder to copy, Louise started to screen her large collection of banknotes brought back from travels all over the world.
Her amazing discoveries highlight the beauty in notes as varied as the Danish 100 kroner note, the five peso note from the Dominican Republic and the South African 100 Rand.
"Uncovering these beautiful but hidden pieces of art that we carry around with us was great fun," she says. Most countries have incorporated invisible fluorescent inks in complicated designs into their banknotes, currency and passports as part of a host of security measures against counterfeiting. Others also embed fluorescent fibres in different colours into the actual paper of the currency. A Scot herself, Louise was very pleased to find some of the best hidden designs on bank notes were issued by the Scottish banks. Jamie Martin, Head of Cash & Clearing Supplier Services at the
passports as part of a host of security measures against counterfeiting. Others also embed fluorescent fibres in different colours into the actual paper of the currency.
A Scot herself, Louise was very pleased to find some of the best hidden designs on bank notes were issued by the Scottish banks.
Jamie Martin, Head of Cash & Clearing Supplier Services at the Clydesdale Bank commented: "We have a range of antiforgery devices on our bank notes including ultraviolet designs. We have always sought to integrate these features in an appropriate and sympathetic manner."
The only surprising thing about the search for these hidden art works was their total absence on the US dollar, even the one hundred dollar bill, which has got to be at the top of most forger's lists.
Today's Bank of England notes, designed by Roger Withington and showing the Queen's portrait by Andrew Ward, are known as Series E. The threat of forgery informs almost every aspect of the notes' designs. The first barely visible watermark was incorporated into English paper money in 1697, and the specialist paper, which gives currency its all important feel made of a special cottonlinen blend was first created by Henry Portal in 1724.
Famous faces make notes familiar, but they are a security feature in themselves it is easier to detect inaccuracies in portraits than in earlier geometric designs. Similarly, fine line work is employed to make the notes more difficult to copy. The metal strip made its first appearance in 1943, when the Germans attempted to destabilise the currency with forgeries during WWII. Other security features present today include foil holograms and microlettering.
Unsurprisingly the inks used on the notes are not easy to buy over the counter.
MUST CREDIT PICTURES BY Louise Murray/Rex Features Words: LM/DM
© Rex Features
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Statement | Registered in England
