2017-05-22 Mon

Just a few weeks after Switzerland’s 50-franc note, the first in a new series, won the coveted International Banknote Society Banknote of the Year Award. The Swiss National Bank began issuing the series’ 20-franc note.

There is a special theme attached to the new series and it is called “The Many Facets of Switzerland”. It portrays Swiss characteristic through the primary elements of a hand and a globe. The 50-franc note showcases the country’s wealth of experiences as articulated by the wind. The focus of the red 20-franc note is Swiss creativity as revealed by the central motif of light.

According to the Swiss National Bank, the hand on the face of the 20-franc note holds a prism through which light is spread into various colours. On the globe, the light theme is reflected in the superimposed constellation map. The line structures on the face signify kaleidoscope’s patterns.

The background looks like a film festival and depicts Switzerland’s creative and cultural interests. The use of light is fairly important as it creates a second artificial world. Another significant feature is the butterfly that is associated with the diversity of colors and shapes in nature.

As far as some experiments are concerned, tilt the note from left to right and a violet arc moves across the globe. And, if you tilt it backwards, the colour of the globe changes.

Security strip test: When tilted from left to right, red and green coloured numbers spread across on four lines and the numbers move in the opposite directions. Also, a wide variety of things are visible when one looks directly at the note. You can see a map in silver of Switzerland, circular elements representing night-time light emissions, the distances between various celestial bodies and the earth and the number 20. And, when the note is turned backwards, the outline of Switzerland and the night-time light emissions appear in rainbow colours. Not to miss, small shining Swiss crosses visible inside the number 20.

Cross test: Hold the note up to the light and look at the transparent Swiss cross — it turns into the Swiss flag.

Triangle test: Hold the note up to the light and the security thread appears as a continuous line. The Swiss flag and the number 20 also appear at regular intervals.

Hand test: You can feel the raised print once you run your fingers over the number 20, the bank’s name or the hand displayed on the note. Also, from these three elements, if you rub it onto a piece of light-colored paper, they leave trails of colour. The bill is made of Durasafe — two outer layers made of cotton paper with an inner layer of polymer.