Identification of forged Bank of England £20 banknotes using IR spectroscopy

Bank of England notes of £20 denomination have been studied using infrared spectroscopy in order to generate a method to identify forged notes. An aim of this work was to develop a non-destructive method so that a small, compact Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) instrument could be used by bank workers, police departments or others such as shop assistants to identify forged notes in a non-lab setting. The ease of use of the instrument is the key to this method, as well as the relatively low cost. The presence of a peak at 1400 cm−1 arising from νasym () from the blank paper section of a forged note proved to be a successful indicator of the note’s illegality for the notes that we studied. Moreover, differences between the spectra of forged and genuine £20 notes were observed in the ν(OH) (ca. 3500 cm−1), ν(CH) (ca. 2900 cm−1) and ν(CO) (ca. 1750 cm−1) regions of the IR spectrum recorded for the polymer film covering the holographic strip. In cases where these simple tests fail, we have shown how an infrared microscope can be used to further differentiate genuine and forged banknotes by producing infrared maps of selected areas of the note contrasting inks with background paper.

Money with Bank Networks

Rio de Janeiro

A model of private bank-note issue

A random-matching model (ofmoney) is formulated in which there is complete public knowledge of the trading histories of a subset of the population, called the banking sector, and no public knowledge of the trading histories of the complement of that subset, called the non bank sector. Each person, whether a banker or a non banker, is assumed to have the technological capability to create indivisible and durable objects called notes. If outside money is indivisible and sufficiently scarce, then the optimal mechanism is shown to have note issue and note destruction (redemption) by members of the banking sector.

Notes on cyclical tendency to the overvaluation of the real

This note addresses the question “To what extent financial regulation in Brazil was effective in neutralizing the tendency to the overvaluation of the exchange rate in Brazil since the 1994 Real Plan?” Aiming at answering this question, this note is organized as follows: after this short introduction, we briefly describe the Brazilian exchange rate behavior after the Real Plan, emphasizing its key role in keeping prices stable. In section 3, the recent measures adopted by the Brazilian Central Bank (BCB) aiming at avoiding the overvaluation of real will be summarized. In section 4, we argue in favor of a new policy mix that could avoid overvaluation of the currency. Finally, some issues will be raised in order to effectively neutralize the overvaluation of real.

Georges Bank, 1837 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Chart of Georges Shoal & Bank, surveyed by Charles Wilkes, Lieut. Commandant ... [et al.] in U.S. brig Porpoise, schooners Maria & Hadassah, by order of the Hon. Mahlon Dickerson, Secretary of the Navy ; drawn by J. Alden and W. May ; engraved by S. Stiles, Sherman & Smith, New-York. It was published under direction of the Navy Commissioners in 1837. Scale [ca. 1:62,000]. The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the 'World Mercator' projection. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows hydrographic features such as as banks, shoals, bottom soil types, tide information, and more. Relief shown by soundings. Includes notes. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection and the Harvard University Library as part of the Open Collections Program at Harvard University project: Organizing Our World: Sponsored Exploration and Scientific Discovery in the Modern Age. Maps selected for the project correspond to various expeditions and represent a range of regions, originators, ground condition dates, scales, and purposes.

Details of the University of Michigan campus, with notes.

[From Jasper Cropsey Sketch book, 1855-1856]

Lake scene with notes.

[From Jasper Cropsey Sketch book, 1855-1856]

Steamer stoped [sic] at the town." With notes on the islan

[From Jasper Cropsey Sketch book, 1855-1856]

Monument to Wolf." With notes

[From Jasper Cropsey Sketch book, 1855-1856]

Hemlock stump. Birch log. September 25th." With notes

[From Jasper Cropsey Sketch book, 1855-1856]

Sketch of a rocky cliff. With notes.

[From Jasper Cropsey Sketch book, 1855-1856]

Notes on Mt. Washington.

[From Jasper Cropsey Sketch book, 1855-1856]

Willey Mountain from the Willey House." With notes

[From Jasper Cropsey Sketch book, 1855-1856]

Notes inside front cover.

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Small sketch of woman. With notes on colors.

[From Jasper Cropsey Sketch book, 1855-1856]