Time and time again the topic of FAKE POLYMER £5 & £10 comes up, and much debate ensues.
Think Logically for a moment !!
What is the most important factor when counterfeiting a note (or coin) ??
It needs to pass off as an original, therefore needs to look like an original at first glance.
Why would a counterfeiter go to the trouble of getting the note absolutely perfect in every other way, except leave a bloody great luminous orange strip where the silver holographic strip should be ?? They'd at least print it grey if they couldn't go for silver. (Just look at the Easter Banquet £20 Hologram for what is achievable)
Let's take a look at some real notes (Image courtesy of the Bank of England.
So... Take note of number 6.... this is where the blue/orange comes in. It is printed underneath the silver foil patches mentioned in points 4 & 5.
This is why the "fake" notes stand out.... because they're damaged in such a way that the silver foil patches disappear, revealing the colour underneath.
The Bank of England made a statement on these notes
"The Bank of England is aware that a small number of polymer £5 notes have been damaged due to extreme use, for example prolonged washing at high temperatures. In some cases this has resulted in the foil Elizabeth Tower being removed. These notes are damaged genuine banknotes not counterfeits, and a lot of other security features remain intact such as the Queen's portrait in the window and the microlettering. Polymer notes are stronger than paper notes and last longer in usual day-to-day use but they are not indestructible."
Even the Express debunked this in 2017 !! (Yes, I don't usually trust mainstream media as far as I could throw them, BUT for them to be diffusing a situation they could sensationalize and cause panic over, shows you something)
I managed to get my hands on one of these so called "Fake" Polymer notes. So did some detailed comparisons under a digital microscope.
As you can see, the micro printing and UV reactive 5 are of the same standard.
As you may also see tho, the "Bank of England" is wearing off, we assume the result of a hot wash in the washing machine, which may well be the reason for the whole appearance.
During some testing, I managed to completely remove the foil patches AND the colour beneath of both £5 and £10 notes.
Here's a video showing the process.
Further Reading : Bank of England Banknote Statistics
"Discoveries of counterfeit £5 and £10 notes in 2017 were almost entirely counterfeits of paper banknotes which are no longer legal tender."
I asked for clarification from the BoE and the reply was this "In relation to the counterfeit statistics, we know that all the attempted copies of polymer £5s and £10s have been on paper."
But a report from the National Audit Office states :
meaning there are fake Polymer notes around, but not in any mass quantity.
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