Prevention of counterfeiting

Published: 5/6/2015 Modified: 1/1/2023
The National Counterfeit Centre, National Analysis Centre and the Coin National Analysis Centre were established within the Croatian National Bank for the purpose of taking and implementing measures for prevention and detection of counterfeiting at a national level and for the purpose of cooperation with the competent authorities in the country and abroad in the areas of prevention and detection of currency counterfeiting in the territory of the Republic of Croatia.

For all information related to counterfeit banknotes or coins please e-mail an inquiry to: ncc.hr@hnb.hr

How to recognise a genuine banknote?

Genuine banknotes are easy to recognise if we know how to check the security features that are found on the banknotes. It is very rare that genuine banknotes differ significantly from counterfeit ones in terms of their size, colour or main motifs. It is therefore recommended to check several security features.

The instructions below will help you to make these checks easily with no expert knowledge required. Feel a banknote, look at it and tilt it to check it for authenticity.

FEEL – the quality of the banknote paper (crispiness, elasticity) and the intaglio print. A hundred percent cotton paper is much more resilient and resistant to wear and tear than common commercial paper.

LOOK – at the banknote and hold it against the light to check the watermark, the security thread and the see-through register.

TILT – the banknote to see the shifting image in the silvery stripe and the security features printed in iridescent ink or optically variable ink, for example, the emerald number displayed on euro banknotes.

CHECK – Thorough checks of all security features are carried out by authentication devices (UV lamp, magnifier, IR camera, etc.).

If you have any doubts, compare the suspect banknote with a genuine banknote of the same denomination.

If you are still in doubt, ask an employee of a bank or financial institution to check the banknote for authenticity, or send the suspect banknote with an Application for technical analysis to the Croatian National Bank to be analysed.

Educational videos

The Croatian National Bank released a series of educational materials on the security features of kuna banknotes. For each kuna banknote denomination, a video has been made that explains in detail the authenticity checking procedure. The educational videos can be viewed on the CNB YouTube channel.

A detailed description of the security features checking procedure for euro banknotes is available on the CNB’s educational website and the ECB website.

How to recognise a genuine coin?

Genuine coins are easy to recognise if we know how to check the security features that are found on the coins. It is very rare that genuine coins differ significantly from counterfeit ones in terms of their size, weight or main motifs. It is therefore recommended to check several security features.

The instructions below will help you to make these checks easily with no expert knowledge required. Coins are checked for authenticity by means of a magnifying glass.

NATPIS = INSCRIPTION
APOEN SA MOTIVOM KUNE = DENOMINATION NUMERAL AGAINST A BACKGROUND SHOWING A MARTEN
NAZIV = CURRENCY NAME
MOTIV GRBA SA HRASTOVOM I LOVOROVOM GRANČICOM = THE MOTIF OF THE COAT OF ARMS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA WITH STYLISED OAK AND LAUREL BRANCHES
ZUPCI = MILLINGS
MOTIV NALIČJA = MOTIF ON THE REVERSE
GODINA KOVANJA = MINTING YEAR

MOTIFS – check the clarity and sharpness of details.

RELIEF – check the sharpness of the edges of relief motifs and inscriptions.

EDGE – check the millings on the coin edge.

If you have any doubts, compare the suspect coin with a genuine coin of the same denomination.

If you are still in doubt, ask an employee of a bank or financial institution to check the coin for authenticity, or send the suspect coin with an Application for technical analysis to the Croatian National Bank to be analysed.

What to do with counterfeit cash?

Counterfeit currency should be immediately handed over at the nearest police station. Police officers send all counterfeit banknotes and coins for technical analysis to the Croatian National Bank.

The use of counterfeit currency is equally illegal and punishable as its production. Counterfeit currency cannot be exchanged for genuine currency.

In accordance with the Decision on the control of authenticity and fitness checking of euro cash, the Decision on the exchange of kuna cash and the Decision on dealing with suspicious foreign cash, the entity subject to these Decisions is obligated to check the authenticity of each sample of received cash.

Where in the course of an authenticity check an entity establishes that the cash is suspect, it is obligated to deliver it to the Croatian National Bank without delay together with the completed Application for technical analysis.