A multi-technique approach for detecting and evaluating material inconsistencies in historical banknotes

Julio M Del Hoyo-Meléndez; Klaudia Gondko; Agata Mendys; Maſgorzata Król; Anna Klisiſska-Kopacz; Joanna Sobczyk; Anda Jaworucka-Drath

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.06.018

A multi-technique approach for detecting and evaluating material inconsistencies in historical banknotes

Forensic Sci Int. 2016 Sep:266:329-337. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.06.018. Epub 2016 Jun 20.

Authors

Julio M Del Hoyo-Meléndez¹, Klaudia Gondko², Agata Mendys³, Maſgorzata Król⁴, Anna Klisiſska-Kopacz³, Joanna Sobczyk³, Anda Jaworucka-Drath⁵

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Analysis and Non-Destructive Investigation of Heritage Objects, The National Museum in Krakow, Pilsudskiego 14, Krakow 31-109, Poland. Electronic address: jdelhoyo@muzeum.krakow.pl.
² Laboratory of Analysis and Non-Destructive Investigation of Heritage Objects, The National Museum in Krakow, Pilsudskiego 14, Krakow 31-109, Poland; Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Chemistry, Laboratory for Forensic Chemistry, Ingardena 3, 30-060 Kraków, Poland.
³ Laboratory of Analysis and Non-Destructive Investigation of Heritage Objects, The National Museum in Krakow, Pilsudskiego 14, Krakow 31-109, Poland.
⁴ Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Chemistry, Laboratory for Forensic Chemistry, Ingardena 3, 30-060 Kraków, Poland.
⁵ Numismatic Cabinet, National Museum in Krakow, Krakow 31-109, Poland.

PMID: 27371798
DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.06.018

Abstract

The identification of forged and genuine historical banknotes is an important problem for private collectors and researchers responsible for the care of numismatic collections. This paper presents a research approach for detecting material differences in historical banknotes through the use of microfading spectrometry along with other techniques such as hyperspectral image analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Microfading spectrometry results showed higher sensitivity to light irradiation for an overprint ink used on a suspicious banknote relative to its counterparts. In addition, the spectrocolorimetric changes experienced by the paper substrates during microfade testing also provided a way for discriminating between two groups of banknotes. These variations have been confirmed after analyzing the spectral and physico-chemical data obtained using the abovementioned complementary techniques.

Keywords: Authenticity; Counterfeit banknotes; Ink; Microfade testing; Paper.