There are many ways of detecting fake Ksh1,000 notes in Kenya. Since the introduction of the new currency, there have been reports of fake Ksh 1,000 notes; it’s, therefore, important to know the features of new notes.
There is no major difference between the new and old
Ksh1,000 notes, only the size and colour that differ. Key features of the new
notes include Portrait Watermark, Serial Numbers, See Through Feature and
Security Thread.
To know whether the Ksh1,000 is fake or genuine, look at the
following features:
Counterfeit Detection
Counterfeits are a threat to the circulation of genuine
Kenyan currency. Security features in currency notes act as a deterrent and
safeguard to minimise the risk of counterfeiting. We encourage the public to be
aware of the available security features incorporated in genuine currency notes
and to be able to distinguish between genuine and fake notes. Each genuine
banknote incorporates a number of security features that make the
counterfeiting of the currency notes extremely difficult. The following are
public security features to be checked by each member of the public:
Portrait Watermark
A three-dimensional portrait of a lion’s head can be seen when the note is held up to the light. The watermark has a three-dimensional appearance with areas in varying tones of dark and light. Below the watermark is the value numeral of the banknote. This number can be seen when the note is held up to the light. Both the portrait and value numeral depict some brightness when held up to the light.
Serial Numbers
The serial numbering style is asymmetrical and has progressively larger digits in adjacent positions. One set of serial numbers appears horizontally, the other vertically. The vertical serial numbers on the left-hand side of banknotes glow under UV light.
See-Through Feature
Each of the banknotes has a see-through feature that forms a perfect complete elephant when held up to the light. When looked at from one side, the image does not form any recognisable feature until held up to the light.
Security Thread
All genuine banknotes have a distinct interwoven
thread running vertically down the right-hand side of the notes. When held up
to the light, the thread appears as a continuous line and it shows a series of
text featuring the denomination numeral of the note and the letters CBK. The current
generation of banknotes features two types of threads:
For the 1000 and 500 shillings denominations, the thread is
thicker and portrays a colour shift when viewed at angles.
The 50, 100 and 200 shilling denominations have a thinner thread, silver in colour, and do not depict any colour shifts when viewed at angles.