Swiss National Bank bolsters security features of first banknote in new series

After five years in the pipeline, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) launched its new Sfr50 banknote today (April 6). The first in the forthcoming series, it will enter circulation on April 12.

The long-awaited series takes inspiration from "the many facets of Switzerland", with each denomination depicting a "typically Swiss" characteristic, illustrated with a range of elements and security features.

Designed by Manuela Pfrunder, ‘Wealth of Experience' has been selected as the theme on the Sfr50 and is represented by a wind motif. It also features images of the globe and a hand, which will appear on every denomination of the new series.

The notes were printed by Orell Füssli Security Printing and are the first to use a three-layered banknote polymer substrate. The SNB stressed the series equipped the banknotes with "more modern and more secure" elements than the previous generation.

Design features

One design feature of the new series provides an interactive element for the general public. On the back of the notes, a hand motif has been designed in raised ink, along with the denomination and the bank's name. If rubbed on to a piece of light-coloured paper, traces of colour are left behind.

The series also features foils from Leonhard Kurz, whose Kinegram Volume technology was specifically developed in response to a request from the SNB.

The hologram was created using laser technology, which produces "vibrant coloured, highly prominent images", which can only be viewed from pre-defined viewing angles, giving the feature and ‘on-off effect'. On the Sfr50, this takes the form of a security strip on the front of the note; when tilted from left to right, red and green numbers appear on four lines.

Another feature, which appears on the back of the note, shows a map of Switzerland, along with the Swiss Alps, the names of the main 4,000m peaks and the number 50. When titled backwards, the outline of Switzerland and the Alps appears in rainbow colours. In addition, little shining Swiss crosses are visible inside the number 50.

"The new Swiss franc is outstanding technically, as well as aesthetically," said Peter Muehlfelder, managing director of OVD Kinegram AG. "It is certainly one of the most complex, but also most secure products we have ever supplied."

The globe design was created by Sicpa, using its Spark Technology. In the centre of the front of the note is a shimmering globe. Once titled from left to right, a golden arch moves across the globe; when titled backwards, the globe changes colour.

Both a movement and colour-change element, Spark Orbital, an extension of Spark Technology, has made this possible, allowing the gold element to move around a central point of the image.

Preparing the public

Prior to the appearance of the Sfr50, the SNB has provided the general public with resources explaining how to detect the security features and an app will be launched on the note's date of circulation. It has also released films and images showing the printing process in detail.

The next denomination, the Sfr20, will enter circulation in spring 2017. The remaining notes in the series will appear subsequently at half-yearly or yearly intervals. The SNB will announce each new issue date well in advance. Issuance of the entire series is scheduled to be completed by 2019.

Until further notice, the eighth and current series will remain legal tender.