Express analysis of the authenticity of special and excise stamps of the 2006 model.
Express analysis of the authenticity of special and excise stamps of the 2006 model.
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Ultramag-S6VM |
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Ul Tramag-A14M |
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Ultramag-A36 |
This reference and methodological manual on express analysis of the authenticity of special and excise stamps is intended for employees of wholesale and retail trade enterprises, as well as regulatory authorities. It presents the basic information on the protective complex of special and excise stamps for marking alcoholic products of the 2006 model, and also describes the basic methods of checking visual and machine-readable protective features.
The currently used excise and special stamps of the 2006 model contain various types of protection. They are based on the use of special materials and technologies that are not used in conventional printing. Simultaneous accurate reproduction of the entire complex of protection is a complex and expensive task, therefore, on counterfeit stamps, some of the protective features may be accurately reproduced, some may be absent, and some may be imitated using other, simplified technologies.
For express analysis of authenticity, it is necessary to check for compliance the protective features characteristic of a given object, looking for differences, not similarities with genuine stamps. Discrepancy of even one feature serves as grounds for doubting the authenticity of the stamp and necessitates comparative or forensic analysis.
Notes.Since the parameters of stamps are standardized for freshly printed copies and in real conditions may differ due to aging, abrasion, exposure to humidity, differences in the properties of the surface to which the stamps are affixed, in some cases it may be difficult to establish authenticity.
In such cases, it may be advisable to separate the stamp from the object of marking and conduct a more thorough check. If doubts remain, a comparative or forensic analysis is necessary.
Depending on the type of protection, the check is carried out visually or with the help of devices.
STAGE 1.
Checking the authenticity of the stamp begins with an external inspection in conditions of diffuse daylight or artificial lighting. First, the conformity of the type of stamp and its details (inscriptions, digital codes) with the product to which it is affixed is checked.
Federal special stamps (domestic alcoholic products)
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| Marked for alcoholic products with an ethyl alcohol content of more than 25% and up to and including 95%. The mark has pink-orange tones. |
Marked for alcoholic products with an ethyl alcohol content of more than 9% and up to and including 25%, with the exception of wines. The mark has gray-red tones. |
Natural wine with an ethyl alcohol content of more than 9% and up to 15% inclusive is marked, with the exception of sparkling wine, carbonated wine and champagne. The brand has green and yellow tones. | |
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| Marked for sparkling wine, carbonated wine, sparkling wine and champagne with an ethyl alcohol content of more than 9% and up to and including 15%. The mark has yellow and blue tones. | Marked for wine with an ethyl alcohol content of more than 9% and up to and including 22%, with the exception of natural wine. The mark has lilac-green tones. |
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Attention! On the stamps «Alcoholic products over 25%» there is an inscription (applied by an inkjet printer) indicating the maximum capacity of the consumer packaging used for the alcoholic products: up to 0.1 l, up to 0.25 l, up to 0.5 l, up to 0.75 l, up to 1 l, over 1 l. This inscription on the stamp must be verified with the data on the label of the alcoholic product. |
Excise stamps (foreign alcoholic products)
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| Marked for alcoholic products with an ethyl alcohol content of more than 25% and up to and including 95%. The mark has pink-orange tones. | Marked for alcoholic products with an ethyl alcohol content of more than 9% and up to and including 25%, with the exception of wines. The mark has gray-red tones. | Natural wine with an ethyl alcohol content of more than 9% and up to 15% inclusive is marked, with the exception of sparkling wine, carbonated wine and champagne. The brand has green and yellow tones. | |
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| Marked for sparkling wine, carbonated wine, sparkling wine and champagne with an ethyl alcohol content of more than 9% and up to and including 15%. The mark has yellow and blue tones. | Marked for wine with an ethyl alcohol content of more than 9% and up to and including 22%, with the exception of natural wine. The mark has lilac-green tones. | ||
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Attention! On the stamps «Alcohol products over 25%» there is an inscription (applied by an inkjet printer) indicating the maximum capacity of the consumer packaging of alcoholic products used: up to 0.1 l, up to 0.25 l, up to 0.5 l, up to 0.75 l, up to 1 l, over 1 l. This inscription on the stamp must be verified with the data on the label of the alcoholic product. |
STAGE 2 Control of security features introduced during paper production.
The stamps are printed on self-adhesive paper that does not luminesce when exposed to UV radiation (tested with Ultramag-A36 and Ultramag-S6VM devices).
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The paper has chemical protection, detected using special indicators, produced by the Research Institute of Goznak. |
The paper contains two types of protective fibers: red fibers that do not luminesce under UV radiation, and «Zone» fibers with alternating sections of variable cross-section, colored red and yellow, with the yellow sections having a larger cross-section and yellow luminescence under UV radiation.
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| a) red fiber in reflected light; controlled using the Ultramag-A36 device, a 10x magnifying glass with backlight or visually | b) Zone fiber in daylight; controlled using the Ultramag-A36 device or a 10x magnifying glass with backlight | c) the fiber «Zone» under the influence of UV radiation is controlled using the devices «Ultramag-A36», «Ultramag-S6 VM». |
A «hidden» security thread with alternating straight and inverted abbreviation «RF» is introduced into the paper, luminescing yellow-green under the influence of UV radiation (Fig. a). Visual security properties of the thread are that the text in reflected rays is lighter than the background (Fig. b), and when held up to light it is darker than the background (Fig. c).
Control using the device «Ultamag-A36», 10x magnifying glass with backlight.
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| a) view in UV rays | b) view in reflected light | c) view in transmission |
STAGE 3. Control of protective paints with special properties and printing methods.
The oval-shaped elements at the bottom of the stamps are screen-printed with paint that changes color from violet to brown depending on the viewing angle. Control is carried out visually.
Color-variable paint can be imitated using paints containing small shiny particles. If there is a suspicion of the authenticity of such paint, you should use a magnifying glass with backlight or the Ultramag-A36 device: at 10x magnification, the difference in the texture of fake and genuine paint is clearly visible.
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The repeating words «RUSSIA» at the top of the stamps, printed flexographically with colorless varnish, are visible in reflected light when viewed at an acute angle. Control is carried out visually. The varnish also has an additional protective property — it luminesces green under the influence of UV rays. |
In general, the special and excise stamps of the 2006 model have several security elements that luminesce under UV radiation in various shades of yellow and green:
1. Security fibers «Zone» in paper;
2. The words «Russia» applied with colorless varnish;
3. The inscription «RF» on the security thread;
4. Fragments of the image in the upper part of the stamps
5. The inscription «Alcoholic products» on the back of the stamps, applied with colorless paint.
The glow is controlled using the devices «Ultramag-A36», «Ultramag-S6VM».
The printing protection is controlled using the device «Ultramag-A36». or 10x magnifying glasses with backlight.
- Direct microtext «BRAND», contour microtext «FSM».
- Microtext «FEDERAL BRAND» is made by transition from direct to outline using a special rostrum in the transition zone.
High-quality microtext should be clear and readable. Microtext letters should not have breaks in strokes or filled areas. - Iris transition — a smooth transition from one color to another.
- Two guilloche non-rapport grids with two iris transitions.
To obtain such an image, special printing methods are used from one printing form in one paper run, ensuring ideal alignment and smooth transition of colors. Check that the grid lines have no breaks and misalignment of colors in places where one color transitions to another. - An element for copy protection.
Control of printing protection is carried out using the device «Ultramag-A36» or a 10x magnifying glass with backlight.
- Microtext «MARKARF» is made by transition from direct to contour using a special raster in the transition zone.
- Direct microtext «MARK», contour microtext «EXCISE».
- Special raster.
- Transition of contour guilloche grid to direct using a special raster in the transition zone.
- Fractal grid.
- Iris transition — smooth transition from one color to another.
Foil with a repeating holographic image and demetallized ornamental pattern is pressed onto the paper.
Visually controlled. Genuine holograms exhibit the effect of image change and movement. The pattern along the edges of the foil is made by demetallizing the top layer, so the base film in the pattern area is preserved. Simpler technologies can be used when counterfeiting stamps, so burrs and foil peeling in the pattern area can be detected using the Ultramag-A36 device or a 10x forensic magnifying glass with backlight.
Checking machine-readable (hidden) security features
IR image of the stamp. When printing stamps, paints with different properties in the visible and infrared (IR) wavelength ranges are used.
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| The brand name and output data are printed with IR-absorbing paint {1), visible when using the Ultramag S6VM device. The words «RUSSIAN FEDERATION» and «FEDERAL SPECIAL BRAND» are printed with non-IR-absorbing paint. (2) | The brand name and the imprint are printed with IR-absorbing paint (1), visible when using the «Ultramag S6 VM» device. The words «RUSSIAN FEDERATION», «EXCISE STAMP» and the numbering are printed with non-IR-absorbing paint. (2) |
Special mark.
The stamps have security elements printed with paint with special properties and controlled using the Ultramag-A14M device
