Know your Money - Rs.500 note

All of you have seen a Rs.500 bank note.

Can you identify an original currency note from a fake one? 

 Obverse side

 Reverse side

Every original currency note has 9 security features. If your note doesnot have one or more of these feature, then your note is a fake one. 

According to the Reserve Bank of India, all original Rs.500 bank notes should have the following security features:

1.  Watermark: The portrait of Mahatma Gandhi,  multi-directional lines and an electrotype mark showing the denominational numeral “500” appear in this section and these can be viewed better when the bank note is held against the light.

2.  Security Thread: 3.00 mm Security thread with inscriptions “Bharat’ (in Hindi), RBI and colour shift from green to blue when viewed from different angles. It will fluoresce yellow on the reverse and the text will fluoresce on the obverse under ultraviolet light. The thread is visible as a continuous line from behind when held up against the light.

3.  Latent Image: The vertical band contains latent image showing the numeral 500 when the banknote  is held horizontally at eye level. 

4.   Microlettering: The letters ‘RBI’ and the numeral ‘500’ can be viewed with the help of a magnifying glass in the zone between Mahatma Gandhi portrait and the vertical band. 

5.  Intaglio Printing: The portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, the Reserve Bank seal, guarantee and promise clause, Ashoka Pillar Emblem on the left, RBI Governor's signature on the bank note and the identification mark for the visually impaired persons are printed are printed in intaglio which can be felt by touch.

6.  Identification Mark: A circle with Intaglio which can be felt by touch helps the visually impaired to identify the denomination.

7.  Flourescence: When the notes are exposed to ultra violet light, the number panels, which are printed in flourescent ink and optical fibers of the notes can be seen. 

8. Optically Variable Ink

The colour of the numeral 1000/500 appears green when the note is held flat but would change to blue when the note is held at an angle. The font size is reduced.

9.   See Through register: Floral design printed both on the front and reverse in the middle of the vertical band next to the water mark window has the denominational numeral “500”. Half the numeral is printed on the observe and half on the reverse. Both the printed portions have an have an accurate back to back registration so that the numeral appears as one when viewed against light.

Note: Currency notes printed before 2005 do not have the year of printing printed on the reverse side of the note. Those printed after 2005, have the year of printing at the bottom on the reverse side. RBI said all such notes printed before 2005 have to be exchanged for newer notes from banks. The deadline ended on April 1, 2015.