20-pound note forgery is a common practice among counterfeiters to cheat individuals and businesses. However, the key security features incorporated on real pound banknotes make identifying and spotting fake twenty-pound notes easier.
All you need to do is check major features like a hologram, see-through window, and foil patch, and examine the look and feel of the note. Understanding these features can save you from falling victim to counterfeit 20-pound notes. Continue reading to find more details.
Table of contents
What is a Fake 20 Pound Note?
A fake twenty-pound note is a counterfeit version of the genuine Bank of England 20-pound note. They are designed to look so similar to the real 20-pound notes that one may accept them as real currency.
The fake 20-pound note has flat printing that feels smooth to the touch. It may have a limp texture and feel waxy. Besides, Counterfeit pound notes also exhibit poorly replicated holograms, microprints, and watermarks.
Also Read: Check out this blog to know what to do with counterfeit currency if you suspect fake banknotes.
Key Features of 20 Pound Note
A real 20-pound note is approximately 139mm x 73mm. It has various design and security features on the front and back sides of the note that help you confirm that the banknotes are genuine. Let’s explore all these features in detail-
Design Features
- A genuine 20-pound note has three raised dots on the top left-hand corner to help blind or partially-sighted people identify the value of the note.
- The note has a unique serial number printed both horizontally and vertically on the backside. The horizontal number comprises multi-coloured letters and numbers that increase in height from left to right. The vertical numbers have the same height and colour.
- The international copyright symbol appears on both the front and back of the note.
- “The Fighting Temeraire”, a painting by JMW Turner is featured behind his portrait.
- A quote- ‘Light is therefore colour’ from Turner’s lecture about light and colour is printed on the note at the bottom right of his portrait.
- Turner’s signature from his Will is featured.
Security Features
- The hologram on a real 20-pound note changes from ‘Twenty’ to ‘Pounds’ when tilted.
- The main see-through window should display a metallic image that is gold and blue on the front and silver on the back.
- Monarch’s portrait is printed on the window with ‘£20 Bank of England’. It is printed twice around the edge.
- Under UV light, the number ‘20’ appears in bright red and green against a duller background.
- Above the main see-through window on the front of the note, a silver foil patch is present with a 3D image of the coronation crown.
- A round purple foil patch with the letter ‘T’ is there on the back.
By understanding these features, you can also easily spot a fake 10-pound note or counterfeit 50-pound note.
Difference Between a Real and Fake 20-pound Note
Though fake 20-pound notes are rare due to advanced security measures, it is important to learn to be able to identify them. Checking the key security features can help avoid being deceived by fake currency. Here are the differences to look for after understanding all the important features of a real 20-pound note-
| Features | Genuine 20-pound Notes | Fake Twenty-pound Notes |
| Hologram | They lack clarity. You will notice blurry edges or poor-quality printing. | It may not change or are poorly replicated. |
| See-through Window | The metallic image is gold and blue on the front, and silver on the back. | It may have incorrect colours and may lack clarity. |
| Raised Print | Raised printing on the ‘Bank of England’ text and bottom right corner. You may also see three raised dots in the top left-hand corner. | Fake 20-pound notes have flat printing and feel smooth to the touch. |
| Colour & Clarity | They have sharp, clear printed lines. No smudges or blurs are visible on checking with a magnifying glass. | They lack clarity. You will notice of blurry edges or poor-quality printing. |
| UV Light Test | Number ‘20’ appears bright red and green under UV light on the front of the note. | Number ‘20’ appears dim or incorrect fluorescence under UV light. |
| Foil Patches | A silver foil patch is seen with a 3D crown image on the front and a round purple foil patch on the back contains the letter ‘T’. | They have missing or poorly reproduced features that may have patches but missing crowns and letters. |
| Microprinting | The value of the note is written in small letters and numbers below the monarch’s portrait visible under a magnifying glass. | They will lack microprint. If printed, they have poor printing quality with smudgy and blurry text. |
Also Read: Check out this blog to know all about stable currencies with anti-counterfeiting measures that make them difficult to fake and replicate.
What to do with Fake Twenty-Pound Note?
Handling fake pound notes is important. If you discover a counterfeit note after a transaction, report it to your bank or local police. Do not attempt to spend or use counterfeit notes; they are worthless and using them can lead to legal consequences.
This was all about the fake twenty-pound note. To know more about currencies, forex, education loans, the best bank accounts for students banking experience for global students or international money transfers, reach out to our experts at 1800572126 to help ease your study abroad experience.
FAQs
A fake twenty-pound note is a counterfeit version of a legitimate banknote, designed to deceive individuals and businesses.
Counterfeit pound notes feel smooth to the touch. It may have a limp texture and feel waxy. They also exhibit poorly replicated holograms, microprints, and watermarks.
The hologram changes from ‘Twenty’ to ‘Pounds’ when tilted, and the see-through window has a metallic image that is gold and blue on the front and silver on the back.
Under UV light, the number “20” appears in bright red and green on the front of the note against a duller background.
If you discover a counterfeit note after a transaction, report it to your bank or local police.
