Protective elements – CZK 500 – 1997 and 1995 versions

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Protective elements

A detailed general description of protective elements visible in daylight, with illustrative examples of individual elements on the 500 CZK note, 1997 version

  1. Watermark
  2. Windowed thread with microtext
  3. Coloured fibres
  4. Front-to-back register
  5. Latent image
  6. Colour-shifting ink - the banknote does not contain this protective element
  7. Iridescent strip - the banknote does not contain this protective element
  8. Microtext

 

1. Watermark

Watermark

  face side                      reverse side

The watermark is clearly visible when the banknote is held against the light. A “localised” stepped watermark (i.e. a combination of positive watermarks – visible as dark areas – and negative watermarks – visible as light areas – with various shades between the darkest and lightest parts) is used. The watermark is located in the middle of the wide unprinted margin and consists of the portrait of Božena Němcová as depicted on the banknote. When viewed from the face side of the banknote, the watermark portrait is mirror reversed.


 

2. Windowed thread with microtext

Windowed thread with microtext

face side through-view

The windowed thread is a strip of metallic plastic embedded into the paper of the banknote. On the banknote’s face side it protrudes in six places from the surface. These “windows” of silvery colour are each 5 mm long and bear a readable negative microtext indicating the banknote’s nominal value. When the banknote is viewed, only the protruding part of the strip on the face side is visible. When viewed against the light, the whole strip is visible on both sides as a continuous dark line with the microtext “500 Kč” showing through.


 

3. Coloured fibres

Coloured 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.


 

4. Front-to-back register

Front-to-back register

 face side       reverse side   through-view

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 the banknote is viewed against the light. The front-to-back register is a circular mark. It is created by the letter “C”, with an interposed letter “S” for the 1995 version, and by a similarly composed pair of letters “ČR” for the 1997 version.


 

5. Latent image

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 figures indicating 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 the decoration above the portrait’s shoulder.


 

6. Colour-shifting ink

The banknote does not contain this protective element.


 

7. Iridescent strip

The banknote does not contain this protective element.


 

8. Microtext

Microtext   Microtext.

                    face side                                         reverse side

Printed in offset printing. The basic microtext is concealed in the strip of basic colour near the right-hand white margin to the right of the portrait on the face side, consisting of figures indicating the banknote’s denomination. On the reverse side, microtext is also concealed in the strip of basic colour between the state symbol and the right-hand margin, consisting of words indicating the banknote’s denomination. The microtext initials of the writer (“BN”) are located in the field between the state symbol and the portrait.