Abstract:
Polymer bank notes, especially older banknotes and
banknotes with aged prints, present challenges for latent print
development. A sequence of techniques has been optimized for the
development of aged prints on the surface of banknotes. The procedure
involves optical examination, cyanoacrylate fuming, vacuum metal
deposition treatment, and luminescence staining. It is essential to treat
banknotes with cyanoacrylate fuming as soon as they are received
so that the print degradation, which occurs quickly on the banknote
surface, is minimized. Vacuum metal deposition treatment should also
be applied as soon as possible after cyanoacrylate fuming. Treatments
other than those outlined in this procedure should be avoided, because
they will be detrimental to vacuum metal deposition development.
