Engraving steel intaglio technology of banknotes in Qing Dynasty

Carving steel intaglio is a very difficult skill, which combines painting art, carving art and technology. The sculptor is required to have a certain painting foundation and his own artistic inspiration before he can reverse-engrave a manuscript (painting or photo) on a special steel plate. Without years of training and profound cultivation, it is difficult to achieve the expected artistic effect. Generally speaking, an excellent engraved intaglio can't be copied. Not only is it difficult for others to copy, but it is also difficult for sculptors to carve steel plates with the same texture. In particular, the carving of human heads requires not only a strong three-dimensional sense, distinct layers and clear lines (including hair and facial lines), but also direct cutting on steel plates. If you are not careful, all your efforts will be in vain. Therefore, carving a good steel intaglio portrait is actually a process of artistic re-creation, which takes half a year to complete. The steel intaglio for printing money can not only enrich the ticket content, but also have strong anti-counterfeiting performance, which is incomparable to other printing methods. It still has high practical value and is constantly developing and perfecting.

Anti-counterfeiting of banknotes in Qing Dynasty

At that time, the official had to stamp the official seal on the ticket face to protect the credibility and enhance the reliability, because it was necessary to prevent civil fraud and there were no technical measures. This is an early and simple counterfeiting measure in the history of printing money in China. At the same time, the government has also enacted laws to safeguard the credibility of paper money. By punishing and rewarding counterfeiters and those who expose newspaper officials, we can prevent and sanction counterfeiters and ensure the circulation and credibility of paper money.