Latest News

John Winchcombe

29 May 2024

4 min read

Time for Confidence in Cash

The Banknote Conference took place 13-16 May in Fort Worth, Texas. Organised by Currency Research, it was attended by nearly 425 delegates from 72 countries and 183 organisations. Of those, 92 were central banks and/or printworks.

Events

Astrid Mitchell

29 May 2024

4 min read

News in Brief

Further to the completion of the acquisition of OpSec Security for $270 million, Crane NXT has announced a restructuring of its business segments.

News

Astrid Mitchell

29 May 2024

3 min read

CPS Returns, Launches Green Strategy

Just over a year ago, CPS announced that it was exiting the market for high-speed banknote sorting systems and pivoting to software and services. It was then back in force at the Banknote Conference, unveiling its new strategy for sustainability, flexibility and digitisation for the banknote fitness sorting and authentication sector.

Sustainability

Astrid Mitchell

29 May 2024

1 min read

Secure Innovation Launches Remote Planet

Secure Innovation Group, the global technology company specialising in cash protection and security solutions (formerly known as Spinnaker), has launched its latest brand – Remote Planet.

Companies

Concha Jiminez

29 May 2024

2 min read

DENARIA – Ensuring Fair Access to Cash

The third DENARIA Conference recently took place in Madrid, with a focus on how cash can ensure a fair, inclusive and secure digital transition, particularly in a country where cash continues to be the main payment method for a very significant number of citizens.

Events

Astrid Mitchell

29 May 2024

5 min read

Stop Press – De La Rue for Sale?

As Currency News™ went to press, De La Rue provided a strategic update which states that a sale of one or both divisions could be on the cards. The Board is in discussions with a number of parties who have made proposals in relation to, or expressed interest in, either of the divisions – Authentication and Currency.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

29 May 2024

12 min read

Celebrating 20 Years of MOTION®

It was 20 years ago that the micro-optics technology behind MOTION® first made its appearance – first at the Optical Document Security conference that year in San Francisco, and then a few months later at the Currency Conference in Rome.

Interviews

John Winchcombe

28 May 2024

4 min read

Challenging Manufacturing ‘Truth’: Is Small Beautiful?

An unscientific rule of thumb taught to those entering the banknote industry used to be that a country needed a population of about 40 million people to justify having their own banknote printing works. This article considers how accurate, or relevant, this rule is in modern times.

Comment Free Free

Antti Heinonen

30 April 2024

11 min read

From Secrecy to Transparency – The Evolution of Banknote Communications

Antti Heinonen looks at the evolution of central bank engagement with the public on banknotes, considering what lessons can be learned and including his own personal perspective.

Banknotes

Astrid Mitchell

30 April 2024

3 min read

Around the World – Counterfeiting Update

In this periodic series summarising counterfeit currency around the world, we focus on the latest news from Switzerland, Ukraine, Spain and Bulgaria.

Counterfeiting

Astrid Mitchell

30 April 2024

2 min read

HSP Latin America Heads to Chile

All arrangements are now in place for this year’s High Security Printing (HSP) Latin America, which returns to Santiago, Chile – taking place from 3-5 June. The last time the event was held in Santiago was 2014.

Events

Astrid Mitchell

30 April 2024

3 min read

Cash Sustainability Forum Takes Shape

Highlights of the second Cash Sustainability Forum (CSF), which takes place 24-26 June in Frankfurt, are now available.

Events

Kerre Corbin

30 April 2024

2 min read

Counterfeit Corner

Possession of counterfeit versus intent to defraud. What’s the difference?

Counterfeiting

Astrid Mitchell

30 April 2024

5 min read

Fed Deep Dives into Data to Report on Demand for US Banknotes Post-COVID

Last month, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System published an International Finance Discussion Paper on the demand for US banknotes at home and abroad. It was authored by Ruth Judson, a staff economist.

Banknotes

Astrid Mitchell

30 April 2024

2 min read

2024 Banknote Conference: Final Call

The final details for the upcoming Banknote Conference, taking place 13-16 May, have come together.

Events

Astrid Mitchell

30 April 2024

2 min read

CBPM’s New Integrated Process and Packaging Line - Less Manual, More Intelligent

China Banknote Printing & Minting (CBPM) has developed and is now using a new integrated processing and packaging production line for post-press operations.

Companies

Astrid Mitchell

30 April 2024

4 min read

New Banknote Series – Challenging the Convention

Industry custom and practice dictates that a new series of banknotes should be issued every 7-10 years. We don’t know who established that nor how was it determined. As we couldn’t answer these questions, we set out to see whether this convention was being followed by the industry. And to determine if it is still appropriate.

Banknotes Free Free

Astrid Mitchell

30 April 2024

3 min read

Royal Mint Pulls Out of Export Business for Circulating Coins

The Royal Mint (TRM), the UK’s oldest company, has announced that it is to pull out of the market for producing foreign circulating coins and blanks, bringing to an end a 700-year old business in producing coins for overseas countries.

Coins

Astrid Mitchell

30 April 2024

5 min read

Aligning Euro Banknote Policies with Paris Agreement Targets

The European Central Bank (ECB) has been working to reduce the environmental impact of euro banknotes and the Eurosystem cash cycle since the introduction of the euro in 2002. Although it has made progress, it has further goals to reduce the environmental footprint of current and future euro banknotes.

Banknotes Sustainability

Dr Ahmed Goher

30 April 2024

5 min read

Polymer Banknotes Outperform Paper on Strength and Security

As an anti-forgery expert with the Egyptian Ministry of Justice, I have spent decades investigating the strength and security of various banknote substrates. My work has involved analysis of the technical specifications of banknotes, through extensive mechanical and chemical testing, as well as an assessment of data published by central banks. I’d like to share my findings here.

Banknotes Technology