Avalon™

Avalon™ is described as the first interactive printed banknote security feature — a next-generation UV fluorescent ink that changes colour in response to friction, placing it in the category of smart or responsive materials whose properties alter in a controlled way under external stimuli. It is designed and produced entirely in-house at Oberthur Fiduciaire's high-security premises under full laboratory control, ensuring the formulation remains proprietary and unavailable through commercial channels.

The security rationale is direct: standard single-colour UV inks are commercially available online and can be exploited by counterfeiters to simulate UV features on fake documents. Avalon™ goes beyond this by adding an interactive dimension — when rubbed with a coin edge, the ink temporarily shifts colour from its base fluorescent blue, through blue to yellow, before reverting to its original state after a few minutes. This reversible, friction-triggered colour change cannot be replicated with commercially sourced fluorescent inks.

Three variants are available: standard Avalon™ (UV reactive at 365nm), Avalon™ Tri-Fluorescent (reactive at both 365nm and 254nm, producing distinct colour responses at each wavelength), and Avalon™ Coloured (visible under normal light as well as UV). All variants are available in offset or intaglio printing.

At its core, Avalon™ is an organic smart material — analogous in principle to bioluminescent molecules — that responds predictably and reversibly to a specific physical stimulus.

Authentication level: Level 2 (cashier/teller verification). No specialist equipment required beyond a coin for friction activation.

Name

Avalon™

Category

Security Feature

Effect Types

UV

Company

Oberthur Fiduciaire
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Linked Features

2 security features