Czech banknotes
Protective elements
A detailed general description of protective elements visible in daylight, with illustrative examples of individual elements on the 1000 CZK note, 1996 version
Watermark
The watermark is clearly visible when the banknote is held against the light. For Czech banknotes a “localised” stepped watermark (i.e. a combination of positive watermarks – visible as dark areas – and negative watermarks – visible as light areas – with various hues between the darkest and lightest parts) is used. The watermark is located in the middle of the wide unprinted margin and is always a smaller version of the portrait depicted on the respective banknote. When looking at the face side of the banknote, the watermark portrait is mirror reversed.
Windowed thread
The windowed thread is a strip of metallic plastic embedded into the paper of the banknote. On the banknote’s face side it protrudes from the surface in segments 5 mm apart. These “windows” of silvery colour are each 5 mm long and bear a readable negative microtext indicating the banknote’s nominal value. Looking at the banknote only the protruding part of the strip on the face side is visible. Looking against the light the whole strip is visible on both sides as a continuous dark line with the microtext showing through.
Protective fibres
Orange fibres, 6 mm long, embedded in the paper and visible to the naked eye. They can best be seen on the white unprinted margins of the banknote.
Front-to-back register
On each side of the banknote only a portion of this mark is visible. The complete mark, with precisely matching individual lines, is visible when looking at the banknote against the light. On Czech banknotes, the front-to-back register is a circular mark created by the letter “C”, with an interposed letter “S” for 1993–1996 versions. Starting with the 1000 CZK banknote 1996 version the front-to-back register is “ČR”.
Latent image
The latent image becomes visible only when the banknote is tipped horizontally at eye level and held against a light source. It consists of a number showing the banknote’s denomination. When the banknote is looked at transversally (the long side nearer the eyes), a positive (dark) pattern is visible, and when viewed longitudinally (the short side nearer the eyes), a negative (light) pattern is visible. The latent image is located on the banknote’s face side in or above the decorations on the portrait’s shoulder.
Optically variable ink
This protective element is based on an optical effect. The colour of the segment printed with special ink changes depending on the position of the banknote when held against incidental light. The colour normally visible on the face side of the note changes into a different colour when the note is tipped against the light, e.g. from gold to green.
Iridescent strip
The iridescent strip is about 20 mm wide and located on the face side close to the right-hand margin of the banknote. At first glance, it seems to be transparent with a slight ochre hue. When the banknote is tipped against the light, the strip gains a slightly coloured hue with a metallic reflection. Figures indicating the banknote’s denomination are marked throughout the right-hand margin of the protective iridescent strip in a negative (i.e. light) colour. When the banknote is tipped, the figures appear dark on the glossy strip.
Microtext
The microtext can be printed both in offset and intaglio printing. The location of any additional microtexts is individual, mostly on the face side of banknotes of higher denominations, in a small design backing the texts on the left-hand side, around the portrait etc. On Czech banknotes, a microtext in the form of figures indicating the banknote’s denomination is always concealed in the strip of basic colour near the right-hand margin of the banknote on the face side (except for the 50 CZK banknote 1993 version, where the microtext consists of letters “A”). On the reverse side, the microtext’s location is the same, consisting of words or figures indicating the denomination.