GBP Chapter 469 I'll Get the Color-Changing Ink
Chapter 469 I'll Get the Color-Changing Ink
Leaving the cold and solid vault, the convoy drove towards another more remote valley.
The level of alert here is also higher. There are even minefields and anti-tank trenches on the periphery, and heavy machine guns are mounted on the towering watchtowers.
This is the top-secret printing factory of the central bank to be established in the future.
As the group entered the core production workshop of the factory, they were greeted by huge noise and a strong smell of ink.
In stark contrast to the cold silence of the vault, this place is filled with the bustling vitality of the industrial age.
But Zhang Chi's gaze was fixed directly on the huge and precisely structured steel behemoths that were being debugged in the center of the workshop.
That is the intaglio printing unit necessary for printing difficult-to-counterfeit banknotes.
"General, please look. This is the core equipment for us to print large-denomination banknotes." The chief engineer in charge of banknote printing technology, a doctor named Sun Kangbo who returned from White Eagle, introduced it excitedly, his voice almost drowning out the roar of the machine.
Zhang Chi noticed that his hair was a little messy and there were bloodshot eyes. It was obvious that he had been staying up late for many nights.
Zhang Chi walked closer and looked at it carefully.
The surface of the huge drum is engraved with extremely delicate and complex patterns and lines, which glow with a cold and hard metallic luster under the light.
The ink system, drying system, registration system... every component is precise and complex.
"General, you know." Sun Kangbo couldn't help but admire as he guided Zhang Chi to watch, "The equipment in the printing factory left by the devils in Siam is too backward. They can only print those crudely made 'Southern Development Coupons' military notes (pictured, they might be eaten).
Anti-counterfeiting? It basically depends on the feel of the paper. Any workshop with a little bit of craftsmanship can imitate it 70% to 80%.
This true hard currency must be printed in gravure. Fine lines, thick ink layers, a three-dimensional feel, and distinct convex and concave textures when touched—this is the ultimate anti-counterfeiting method!
He pointed to a complex roller on the machine:
"The depth and precision of the engraving are incredible. We've tried to restore Siamese equipment before, and we've also studied the notes of the Devil, White Eagle, and John, but to be able to achieve the level of engraving we see here is truly top-notch!"
"And the uniformity of ink transfer, the precision of overprinting..." Sun Kangbo recounted them all, his face filled with the technical enthusiasm of encountering top-of-the-line equipment.
"General, where did you get this treasure? The technical level is even more advanced than what I saw when I visited ABNC (White Eagle Bank Note Company) in White Eagle.
Especially the degree of automation and stability, it’s amazing!”
Sun Kangbo was puzzled and could only attribute it to Zhang Chi's supernatural powers.
Zhang Chi looked at Sun Kangbo meaningfully, with an unfathomable smile on his face, but did not answer.
He remembered the man in front of him, a Chinese who was able to take an in-depth tour of the White Eagle Bank Note Company. This guy must have an extraordinary family background.
As for Sun Kangbo's question, he certainly knew the origin of this equipment.
This is a gravure printing machine that was produced in the mid-to-late 60s and that he had to exchange for extremely valuable "industrial exchange coupons" from the system.
In this era, the precision and stability of this futuristic equipment naturally amazed Sun Kangbo.
As for the plan proposed by White Eagle envoy Harold to "have White Eagle Company print money on behalf of the company"?
Zhang Chi scoffed. How could monetary sovereignty be handed over to others?
No matter how difficult it is, he must keep the power to print money firmly in his own hands.
"As long as it works well." Zhang Chi said lightly, his fingers gently brushing over a dark green, exquisitely patterned 100-yuan Nanyang dollar sample banknote that had just come off the production line and still had the warmth of ink and a faint fragrance.
The issuance of Nanyang Dollars is still in preparation, so it is only a small-scale trial production now.
Zhang Chi rubbed it carefully, and the feeling on his fingers was thick and tough, with extremely clear contours.
In the center of the note is a huge treasure ship, with the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat in the background, surrounded by intricate and exquisite vine patterns and anti-counterfeiting backgrounds.
I picked up the banknote and looked at it under the light. The watermark of the small seal script "Hua" was also very clear.
"What about small denominations?"
“1元、5元、10元、20元的小面额纸币，暂时还是用改造后的鬼子设备印刷。50元的初步考虑和100元的用同一套设备，但只印刷少量。” 沈志远接话道。
"Although the anti-counterfeiting level is not as good as that of intaglio, we have added anti-counterfeiting measures such as special security threads and handwritten signatures, and the cost is much lower."
Zhang Chi nodded, and he also agreed with the idea of focusing on ensuring the absolute safety of the hundred-yuan bills.
As for those small-denomination banknotes such as 1 yuan and 5 yuan, the cost of counterfeiting may be higher than the face value of the banknotes themselves. Any fool who does this will only lose his pants.
"Where's the paper?" Zhang Chi asked the key question.
Shen Zhiyuan's expression immediately became extremely serious. He moved closer to Zhang Chi and lowered his voice:
"The paper formula is top secret. It's currently controlled by myself, President Zheng, Engineer Sun, and two papermaking experts secretly hired from Bern. The base material is specially selected long sisal fibers from Southeast Asia, mixed with a small amount of cotton and wood pulp from specific origins."
"The most crucial thing," he lowered his voice, "is the addition of a very small amount of special silk fibers and a magnetic mineral powder known only to us. The former exhibits a unique fluorescent reaction under a specific wavelength of ultraviolet light, while the latter can be detected by special magnetic detectors."
The specific formula ratio and addition method are known only to President Zheng and me. The pulp raw materials are produced in stages and at different locations, and finally synthesized in an environment of absolute confidentiality."
"I don't worry about your work."
Zhang Chi knows that banknote anti-counterfeiting is a never-ending war.
In addition to paper and gravure printing, in the future, we will gradually introduce various means such as optically variable inks (if the chemical industry can keep up) and metal anti-counterfeiting threads.
But with this set of gravure printing machines and special paper that are ahead of their time, the "foundation" of the Nanyang dollar is much stronger than most currencies on the market.
He picked up another brand new hundred-dollar bill, looked at it against the light, and then carefully stroked the raised lines with his fingers.
This is not just a piece of paper, but also a symbol of Nanyang's financial sovereignty.
"Engineer Sun." Zhang Chi handed the sample banknote to Sun Kangbo. "This machine has potential beyond printing money. It can be used for detailed maps, high-end securities, and even certain special certificates and documents. Protect it well and master it thoroughly."
"Yes!" Sun Kangbo took the sample banknote, his eyes flashing with the light of serving the country with technology.
Zhang Chi patted Shen Zhiyuan's shoulder and said, "Protect it and use it well. I want the Nanyang dollar to become the most valuable currency in Southeast Asia!"