Data for Design – Banco de España’s New ABT Database

Miguel López, Innovation and Development Unit Manager at the Banco de España (BdE), presented at the High Security Printing (HSP) conference in Rabat earlier this year on the BdE’s new Application of Banknotes and Technology (ABT) database. This is a comprehensive reference tool for central banks, printworks, government institutions and law enforcement wanting to understand the banknotes of the world from a visual and technical perspective.

The ABT database has registered and digitalised 9,822 banknotes from 180 countries, as well as 837 concept notes from 32 manufacturers. For 69 countries BdE has completed a full technical analysis of the design, substrate, printing techniques and security features of their banknotes. This piece of work has involved the analysis of 586 banknotes.