Glossary

Circulation

Description of the lifecycle of banknotes starting with their issue and ending with their destruction.

Cleartext

Is a negative text in which the text elements become legible when looked through. The nontransparent part is normally generated by means of metallization. See also Demetallization.

Cleartext thread

Special moulding of a security thread in the banknote paper with negative text in which the text elements become legible in transmitted light.

Colourshift

Color alternates between two contrasting tones when the viewing angle is changed. Color-shifting printed effects can be generated using different technologies. Example: Denomination value on the back of the 50-euro banknote.

ColourShift/ColourFix

Security element featuring an optical surface divided into two sections. The ColourShift section changes color dramatically when tilted while the ColourFix section retains its original color. At a particular angle, the ColourShift and ColourFix sections are the same color, but then change color when viewed at a different angle.

ColourShift/ColourFix thread

A security thread in the banknote paper with an optical surface featuring ColourShift/ColourFix.

ColourShift LEAD®

LEAD® stripe on banknotes with Colourshift effects.

ColourShift thread

Is a security thread in the banknote paper with an optical surface featuring Colourshift.

Copper LEAD®

Holographic LEAD® stripes on banknotes with copper metallization.

Cotton

Raw material used for making banknote paper. Cotton is a natural fiber that is extracted from the seed hairs of the cotton plant. The textiles industry primarily uses long cotton fibers to produce high-quality materials. The short fibers that the textiles industry disposes of are used for the production of banknote paper.

CountryCode thread

Security threads that alternately depict a text element (usually the name of the country) and the country’s flag. CountryCode threads are completely embedded in the security paper, e.g. for passports.

Cylinder mould watermark

Also known as a genuine or multitone watermark. This is characterized by a high imaging accuracy and is able to represent the mapping of motifs in tone value, e.g as preferred for mapping portraits in banknote paper.
See also Fourdrinier watermark.