Date the House Note was released
Project Team
PWPW S.A.
LEONHARD KURZ Stiftung & Co. KG
Project Description
“Meadow 100” house note, is a collaboration between the Polish Security Printing Works (PWPW) and LEONHARD KURZ Stiftung & Co. KG. This pioneering project, first introduced at the Global Currency Forum 2024 in Muscat, Oman, represents a bold leap forward in the integration of innovative security features and cutting-edge design techniques.
The primary goal of the Meadow 100 project was to highlight the development and seamless integration of advanced security elements, including a groundbreaking registered security thread and optical technology features, all combined with state-of-the-art printing and modern design. Notably, this is the first banknote to feature a vertically oriented design, with a security thread embedded vertically to maximize both the aesthetic and functional aspects of the note.
The choice of a nature-based theme underscores the environmental consciousness, and sustainability as a core value in our work.
Design Theme
The final engravings and secure design executed by Agnieszka Próchniak, Senior Banknote Designer at PWPW. Every visual and security feature on the note contributes to a larger narrative, where elements interact with one another to tell a cohesive story.
The front of the Meadow 100 note presents a vibrant cross-section of a summer meadow, bringing to life the interconnectedness of nature. Below the surface, a multitone watermark depicts a mole digging through the offset-printed soil, hunting for food while encountering various underground elements like intaglio-printed roots and vines. On the ground surface, color-shifting beetles wander under offset-printed flowers, with a honey bee poised on one of the blossoms, shown as latent image (Zora4Note®).
Above the meadow, a stunning dragonfly is meticulously printed using a combination of techniques, including detailed intaglio contours and colorful offset patches finished with a glossy Coat4Note® varnish, which adds a brilliant sheen to the image. A filigree honey bee is seen in flight beside the dragonfly. In the sky, a holographic butterfly and wasp shimmer through a window, while beneath them, a beetle and an underground bug complete the scene.
The reverse of the note continues the meadow theme but shifts to a late-summer palette. The right-hand side features a unique iridescent stripe (Mir4Note®), revealing various flying insects along the vertical section of the note. Above the surface, offset-printed bugs and flowers appear in a watercolor style, their subtle beauty enhanced by a gloss effect. Above the meadow, birds soar, adding a sense of liveliness to the upper portion of the design. Innovative numbering techniques were also employed, with an ink-jet serial number placed in two locations: one continuous number at the top and a dynamic check digit that shifts position based on an algorithm, adding another layer of security and uniqueness to each note.
Integration of Security Features
The main security feature, the vertical security thread KURZ THREAD with KINEGRAM COLORS® within the note features various insects, intricately designed to represent different levels of the meadow. Each security thread window, six (6) in total, has different creature and different colour that fits into the level of the meadow; ground, underground and flying creatures are on its habitant level and colours of the security thread windows correspond to the colours of nature levels.
All of it is possible thanks to the advance technology of registered security thread embedding, which allows to fully control the process of security thread embedding during the paper making so that specially and uniquely designed element on the thread appears in chosen window on the final note.
Additional we need to point out the Mir4Note® iridescent stripe on the back side of the note whereby some sections of the stripe absorb IR light while others remain transparent.
On the front side the Zora4Note® effect reveals an embossed bee from a specific angle, accompanied by a multicolour flower beneath it.
Other Aspects
In keeping with the project’s commitment to sustainability, the paper used for the Meadow 100 note is a blend of hemp and cotton, which offers a more eco-friendly alternative to traditional banknote paper. This choice reflects the growing need for environmentally responsible solutions in the production of secure documents.