Counterfeiting
• Crime of making, circulating of uttering
false coins and bank notes, with the intent
to defraud others into accepting it as
genuine time.
• Also applied to fraudulent imitation,
such as spurious trademarks, dies or works
of art.
• Forgery of government obligations such
as money or bond
Examination of Counterfeit coins
• By use of magnifying glass and comparing it
with a known genuine coin
• Defects are caused by the formation of air
bubbles or by removal of small parts of the of
the word along with the coin
• Best place to examine is on the edge since
there are special milling marks or designs
which are added to a genuine coin by
machinery
• Compare a suspected coin to a genuine of
same value
Coins
1. Even flow of metallic grains
2. High relief of letter and numerals
3. Regularity of reading and beading
Old Method of Examining Coins
1. Magnetic or Not?
If a coin is attracted to a magnet, it is not
authentic. All valid coins are made from
nonmagnetic metals such as gold, silver,
copper and nickel. Many counterfeit coins are
made from iron alloys that are drawn to
magnets.
Old Method of Examining Coins
2. Measurement
According to the United States Mint, coins
are made to exact size standards. The coin's
diameter is easily measured with a ruler. The
size of a valid coin should not vary by more
than a fraction of a millimeter. See the coin
size chart in the Resources section of this
article.
Old Method of Examining Coins
3. Weight Check
Coins are also made to precise weight
specifications. Weigh the coin on a sensitive
scale made for coins, jewelry or postage.
Valid coins should not vary by more than one
hundredth of a gram. See the coin weight
specifications in the Resources section below.
Old Method of Examining Coins
4. Surface Check
According to the Numismatic Guaranty
Corporation, fake coins often have noticeable
defects on their surfaces. Invalid coins that
are made from casts of real coins commonly
have a pitted or grainy appearance. They lack
detail and can feel slippery to the touch. The
surfaces themselves can be concave or
convex instead of flat. These differences are
often obvious when comparing fake and real
coins side by side.
Old Method of Examining Coins
5. Edge Check
The edge of an invalid coin can have a small
bump on it. This marks the spot where metal
was poured into the cast used to make the
fake. Sometimes this bump is sanded off. In
this case there will be a small flat spot on the
edge. The rim of a valid coin should feel
consistent all the way around.
Old Method of Examining Coins
6. Sound Check
Valid coins make a distinctive ringing sound
when dropped on a hard surface. Fake coins
make a "thud" sound. Compare the sound of
coins you know to be valid to the sound of
the suspected fake. Do not do this test with
valuable collector coins. Dropping a coin on a
hard surface can damage a precious coin.
Principal ways of printing paper
1. Engraving
Principal ways of printing paper
2. Letterpress Printing
Principal ways of printing paper
2. Letterpress Printing
Principal ways of printing paper
3. Offset Printing
Principal ways of printing paper
3. Offset Printing
STEPS IN
RECOGNIZING
GENUINE BSP
NOTES
STUDY and FAMILIARIZE
yourself with the
characteristics, designs and distinct
features of
BSP banknotes
by following these steps:
1. PAPER
Feel the paper
• The genuine note is printed on a special kind
of paper which is rough when you run your
fingers through it.
• It does not glow under the ultra-violet light.
During paper manufacture, the watermark,
security fibers, security threads and
iridescent band are included.
2. WATERMARK
Examine the watermark on the unprinted
portion of the note
• The watermark is the silhouette of the
portrait appearing on the face of the note.
• Sharp details of the light and shadow effect
can be seen when the note is viewed against
the light.
• The contours of the features of the silhouette
can be felt by running the fingers over the
design on relatively new notes.
3. SECURITY FIBERS
Inspect the security fibers
• Embedded red and blue visible fibers are
scattered at random on both surfaces of a
genuine note and can be readily picked off
by means of any pointed instrument.
4. EMBEDDED SECURITY THREAD
View the embedded security thread
• The embedded security thread is a special
thread vertically implanted off center of the
note during paper manufacture.
• This can easily be seen when the note is
viewed against the light.
• It appears as a broken line for 5’s, 10’s and
20’s and straight line for 50’s, 100’s, 200’s ,
500’s and 1000’s.
5. WINDOWED SECURITY THREAD
View the windowed security thread on the
improved version of 100’s, 500’s and 1000-piso
notes and the new 200-piso notes.
• The windowed security thread is a narrow
security thread vertically located like
“stitches” at the face of the note with
cleartext of the numerical value in repeated
sequence and changes in color from
magenta to green or green to magenta
depending on the angle of view.
6. IRIDESCENT BAND
Look for the iridescent band on the improved
version of 100’s, 500’s and 1000-piso notes and
the new 200-piso notes
• A wide glistening gold vertical stripe with the
numerical value printed in series.
7. PORTRAIT
Recognize the portrait
• Appears life-like.
• The eyes “sparkle”.
• Shadings are formed by the fine lines that
give the portrait a characteristic facial
expression which is extremely difficult to
replicate.
8. SERIAL NUMBER
Check the serial number
• Composed of 1 or 2 prefix letters and 6 or 7
digits.
• The letters and numerals are uniform in size
and thickness, evenly spaced and well-
aligned; and glow under the ultra-violet light.
• A banknote with six “0” digit serial number is
a specimen note and not legal tender note.
9. BACKGROUND/LACEWORK DESIGN
Scan the background/lacework design
• The background designs are made up of
multi-colored and well defined lines.
• The lacework designs are composed of web-
crisscrossing lines which are continuous and
traceable even at the intersection.
10. VIGNETTE
Verify the vignette
• The lines and dashes composing the vignette
are fine, distinct and sharp; the varying color
tone gives a vivid look to the picture that
makes it “stand out” of the paper.
11. VALUE PANEL
Check the numerals found at the four corners
of the front and back of the note.
• The numerals denote the denomination of
the note.
12. COLOR
Recognize predominant color of each
denomination:
1000-piso Blue 50-piso Red
500-piso Yellow 20-piso Orange
200-piso Green 10-piso* Brown
100-piso Mauve 5-piso* Green
*The BSP has stopped printing these banknotes
and are being replaced by coins; however, the
existing 10- and 5- piso notes remain legal
tender.
13. FLUORESCENT PRINTING
Look for the presence of the fluorescent print
when the note is exposed under the ultra
violet light
• The fluorescent print is the invisible
numerical value located off center of the
face of the note that glows when exposed to
ultraviolet light.
14. MICROPRINTING
Verify under the lens the presence of the
microprinting on the denominations 50, 100,
200, 500 and 1000
• Microprintings are the minute and finely
printed words “Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas”
or “Central Bank of the Philippines” located
at the face or back of the note that are
clearly printed and readable.
15. CONCEALED VALUE
Check the concealed value on the 500-piso
denomination
• This concealed value is located at the lower
left corner of the face of the note and is
recognizable when the note is held at eye
level.
16. OPTICALLY VARIABLE INK
Check the optically variable ink on the 1000-
piso denomination
• It changes color from green to blue or blue
to green when the note is held at different
angles.
PERTINENT LAWS AND REGULATIONS TO PROTECT
AND MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE CURRENCY
1. Article 163, Revised Penal Code (RPC). Making and
importing and uttering (issuing or circulating) false
coins.
2. Article 166, Revised Penal Code (RPC). Forging
treasury or bank notes or other documents payable to
bearer; importing, and uttering (issuing or circulating)
such false or forged
notes and documents.
3. Article 168, Revised Penal Code (RPC). Illegal
possession and use of false treasury or bank notes and
other instruments
4. Article 176, Revised Penal Code (RPC).
Manufacturing and possession of instruments or
implements for falsification.
5. PD 247 – Defacement, mutilation, tearing, burning
or destruction of Central Bank (BSP) notes and coins.
6. Chapter II, Circular 61, Series of 1995.
Reproduction and/or use of facsimiles of legal tender
Philippine currency notes.
7. Chapter III, Circular 61, Series of 1995.
Reproduction and/or use of facsimiles of legal tender
Philippine currency
coins.
IF YOU SUSPECT A COUNTERFEIT NOTE
• Do not return it to the passer.
• Delay the passer by some excuse, if possible,
without risking harm.
• Observe and record the passer’s appearance
and that of his/her companion/s.
• Note the license plate number and make of
the passer’s car.
• Place the note in a protective envelope.
Some comparison of fake and genuine
money
Some comparison of fake and genuine
money
Some comparison of fake and genuine
money
Some comparison of fake and genuine
money
Smile!
Thank you
