Look: Print Quality
Lines should be sharp and well defined with no blurred edges. Colours should be clear and distinct.
Look: Watermark
Hold the note up to the light. You should see a WATERMARK image of a young boy. The watermark is visible from both the front and back of the note.
Look: Security Thread
The SECURITY THREAD is visible as silver dashes when the note is laid flat, but when held up to the light the thread becomes visible as a continuous line running from the top of the note, on the left of the portrait, to the bottom of the note. If you look closely you will see the words 'First Trust' written within the thread.
Look: Microprint
When the background areas of the note are examined closely with a good quality magnifying glass you will find 'FIRST TRUST BANK' written repeatedly. The number '20' can also be found written repeatedly within the denomination numeral in the bottom left corner and in the circular area surrounding the promise to Pay.
Look: Serial Numbers
Each note has a unique serial number which is printed twice on the front of the note horizontally on the upper left and bottom right. Serial numbers for the £20 note are black and consist of two letters followed by six numbers. The numbers and letters in the bottom right serial number are all the same size whereas the upper left increase in size from left to right.
Look: Denomination Numerals
The number '20' accompanied by a £ sign appears in the top right and bottom left corners on the front of the note.
Feel: Paper Quality
The paper should feel crisp - not limp, waxy or shiny.
Feel: Raised Print
You will feel raised print if you run your finger over:
- The First Trust Bank name and logo
- The 6 shields
- All writing including signatures
- The denomination numerals in the bottom left corner
- The bottom right serial numbers
- The 8 curved lines on the left of the note
Tilt: Hologram
The denomination numeral in the top right corner of the note is printed over a silver foil containing holographic images. When the note is tilted back and forward images of the First Trust Bank logo and the words FIRST TRUST BANK appear in a tiled formation.
Tilt: Lift Classic
If you tilt the front of the note away from you at an oblique angle and look along its breadth you will see the numerical value of the note appear within the Triskel in the bottom right corner on the front of the note.
Check: Compare
Always compare both sides of a suspect note with another note that you know to be genuine, looking for differences between the two. Make sure you check the size of a suspect note against a known genuine note.
Check: UV Fluorescence
If you place the note under a good quality ULTRA-VIOLET light, you will see highlighted on the front of the note a five-line horizontal and a five-line vertical barcode together with parts of the left and right edges of the note will fluoresce.
Look: Print Quality
Lines should be sharp and well defined with no blurred edges. Colours should be clear and distinct.
Look: Watermark
Hold the note up to the light. You should see a WATERMARK image of image of a young boy. The watermark is visible from both the front and back of the note.
Look: Security Thread
The SECURITY THREAD is not visible when the note is laid flat, but when the note is held up to the light the thread becomes visible as a continuous line running from the top of the note to the bottom. If you look closely you will see the words 'First Trust' written within the thread.
Look: Denomination Numerals
The number '20' accompanied by a £ sign appears in the bottom right corners on the back of the note. The 20 is also incorporated into the design of the note on the left-hand side
Feel: Paper Quality
The paper should feel crisp - not limp, waxy or shiny.
Check: Compare
Always compare both sides of a suspect note with another note that you know to be genuine, looking for differences between the two. Make sure you check the size of a suspect note against a known genuine note.
Check: UV Fluorescence
If you place the note under a good quality ULTRA-VIOLET light, the outline of the large 20 and the surrounding area on the left of the note will fluoresce. You will also see a band of fluorescence on the right of the note running vertically from top to bottom.
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