In ancient times, although the silver ticket was just an ordinary piece of paper, it possessed unparalleled anti-counterfeiting capabilities. Those tiny words, those hidden codes, are like the mysterious power that guards the silver ticket, making any greedy counterfeiter fearful. What secrets were hidden in the silver stamps, and how did the ancients cleverly design them to become the safest form of currency at that time? Let's find out.
The mysterious anti-counterfeiting method of silver tickets
As we all know, paper is the basic material for making silver tickets. But, you know, the ancients put a lot of effort into choosing the paper material for the silver ticket.
It is said that during the Song Dynasty, there was a special paper called "Sichuan paper" that began to be widely used in the production of silver tickets. This kind of paper is produced in Sichuan, with fine texture, pure color and silky feel, which can be described as the top grade of paper at that time. When making Sichuan paper, paper-making craftsmen will carefully select the best mulberry bark as raw materials, and then go through dozens of complex processes such as rinsing, twisting, and copying to make this high-quality paper.
Once Sichuan paper is used to print silver tickets, it immediately shows its unique charm. The patterns and words on the silver stamps are as clear and nuanced as carvings on the texture of Sichuan paper. Even the tiniest lines can be perfectly rendered without blurring. And ordinary paper, if you want to achieve this level of clarity, you can't do it.
What's more, the unique texture and texture of Sichuan paper make it difficult for counterfeiters to start. Trying to accurately imitate the texture of Sichuan paper was an extremely difficult thing for the counterfeiters of the time. Coupled with the scarcity and regional characteristics of Sichuan paper, it sets up a natural barrier for the anti-counterfeiting of silver tickets.
Once, after being caught counterfeiting a silver ticket, a scoundrel quibbled that the silver ticket he had made was exactly the same as the original product. The inquisitor immediately took out the genuine silver ticket and asked him to compare it. The scoundrel looked at it carefully, his face suddenly turned pale, and he trembled, and said, "I see, I really can't imitate this kind of paper!"
From this interesting fact, it can be seen that Sichuan paper as a material for silver tickets, its anti-counterfeiting is outstanding. It is with this unique choice of materials that a solid foundation is laid for the anti-counterfeiting road of silver tickets.
Thoughtful and ingenious design
In addition to the unique choice of materials, the layout design of the silver ticket is also carefully designed, which can be said to be the culmination of anti-counterfeiting technology at that time.
The officials responsible for printing silver tickets are well aware of the importance of anti-counterfeiting. Therefore, they will regularly launch different versions of the silver ticket according to the time and geographical changes. Whenever a new version of the silver ticket comes out, the old version of the silver ticket will immediately lose its validity and be recalled.
This undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to the forgers. They spent months painstakingly copying a silver ticket, but in the end it was in vain. Just as they were about to give up, a new version of the silver ticket reappeared, leaving them in endless trouble.
What's more clever is that the key to the anti-counterfeiting of silver tickets lies in those microscopic characters that are difficult to detect with the naked eye. These words are as thin as mosquitoes and flies, and ordinary people would not be able to read them without the help of professional tools such as magnifying glasses.
Counterfeiters, painstakingly mimicking silver tickets, find that these microscopic characters are simply an insurmountable obstacle for them. They had to further study the content and location of these words, but the location of these words was not fixed, so that they were overwhelmed by the insurmountable anti-counterfeiting technology of silver tickets in repeated attempts.
There is a long-standing story about a scoundrel who forged silver tickets. With great effort, he finally imitated a silver ticket that seemed extremely realistic. But when he took it to the market and used it, he was immediately recognized. It turned out that what he imitated was only the visible parts of the surface of the silver ticket, and ignored the tiny words. With the help of magnifying glasses, the merchants in the bazaar immediately discovered the clue, so the scoundrel planted a big heel.
From this story, it can be seen that microscopic words, as an anti-counterfeiting means of silver tickets, are indeed surprisingly successful. They are like mysterious guardians, silently defending the dignity of the silver ticket.
Three new anti-counterfeiting elements
In addition to the unique choice of materials and the meticulous design of the layout, there are also three mysterious security elements hidden on the silver ticket, which make it difficult for forgers to start.
As we all know, watermarking is an important means of anti-counterfeiting of modern banknotes. But you know what? The ancients used a similar technique on silver tickets.
At that time, craftsmen would incorporate special materials into the paper used to make silver tickets, so that they could show a unique pattern in the sun. This pattern is the predecessor of the invisible watermark.
Invisible watermarks may seem simple, but they can be a huge challenge for counterfeiters. Because of the existence of this watermark, the silver ticket can not be seen in daily use, but as long as it is placed in the sun, the unique pattern will gradually appear.
Forgers have no way of knowing how this invisible watermark is made, and they can't replicate the same effect. Therefore, the invisible watermark has become an important guarantee for the anti-counterfeiting of silver tickets.
When printing silver tickets, craftsmen also use a special ink. This ink not only has a unique color, but also has the characteristics of waterproof and wear-resistant, so that even if the silver ticket is used in a harsh environment, it will not be easily damaged.
What's even more amazing is that this ink takes on a unique color in sunlight and changes to another color in the shade. This color-changing effect was an advanced technology for the time.
There is an anecdote about a gang of scoundrels who forged silver tickets, and finally imitated a silver ticket that seemed to be extremely realistic. But when they took it to the bazaar and used it, they were immediately recognized. It turned out that the ink they used did not change in color in the sunlight and shade, and it was like a genuine silver ticket.
It can be seen from this anecdote that special ink, as an anti-counterfeiting element of silver tickets, is indeed a surprising win. It adds a magical color-changing ability to a silver ticket, making it a powerful tool for authenticity.
On both the obverse and the reverse of the silver ticket, a special dark pattern is hidden. This pattern is so subtle that it is difficult to detect with the naked eye, and its presence can only be seen at certain angles and in certain light.
There are many different types of dark pattern designs, ranging from geometric shapes to floral patterns. What's even more amazing is that each dark pattern is unique and has never been repeated on any silver ticket.
It is extremely difficult for a forger to reproduce this dark pattern. Because their locations are randomly distributed and difficult to identify with the naked eye, there is no way to start.
On one occasion, a scoundrel who forged a silver ticket was interrogated, but he was unaware of the existence of the dark pattern. When the inquisitor showed him the genuine silver ticket at a certain angle, he was stunned and trembled, and said, "It turns out that there is such a magical pattern hidden on the silver ticket!
It can be seen that the dark pattern, as the anti-counterfeiting element of the silver ticket, is indeed a miraculous skill, which makes countless greedy forgers fearful.
It is precisely with the existence of these three mysterious elements that the anti-counterfeiting ability of silver tickets can reach such a high level and become the safest form of currency at that time. In the repeated attempts, the counterfeiters are still stumped by these seemingly simple, but in fact ingenious anti-counterfeiting methods.
Severe penalties of the law
In addition to the elaborately designed anti-counterfeiting means of the silver tickets themselves, the ancient imperial court also formulated strict laws to severely punish counterfeiters, providing a strong guarantee for the anti-counterfeiting of silver tickets.
Everyone knows that counterfeiting currency is a serious crime and is severely punished by the law. But did you know that in ancient times, the imperial court was ruthless in the crime of forging silver tickets.
According to the provisions of the "Da Ming Law", criminals who forged silver bills will be "hanged in prison". The so-called "hanging prison" means that they are first hanged, and then the body is hung for public display to set an example. Watching the bodies of those criminals flutter in the wind is enough to make ordinary people fearful.
What is even more cruel is that the imperial court not only severely punished the criminal himself, but even his family could not escape the punishment of the law for the crime of forging silver tickets. According to the regulations, the prisoner's wife was to be "flogged sixty times and sent to the border". "Flogging" means flogging, and "sending her to the distance" means banishing her to a remote area.
As for the children of the prisoners, they will also be implicated and placed in "military service". That is, they will be forced to serve for life. Seeing his wife and children suffer such a catastrophe, no matter how ruthless he is, he must also retreat.
There is a story that happened in the Ming Dynasty about a scoundrel who forged silver tickets. After he was caught, he confessed and his attitude was quite arrogant. But when he heard that his wife and children would also be implicated, he was so frightened that he burst into tears on the spot.
As can be seen from this story, the harsh laws of ancient times did play a certain role in curbing the crime of counterfeiting silver tickets. It not only punished the criminals themselves, but also made them know that once they broke the law, even innocent family members would bear a heavy price, so they did not dare to act rashly.
In addition to severely punishing criminals and their families, the imperial court also exercised comprehensive control over the tools used to forge silver tickets. According to the regulations, anyone who casts money molds without permission will be "hanged and imprisoned" if they are discovered. And those who secretly hide money models will also be punished by "sixty lashes".
It can be said that the imperial court has launched an all-round crackdown on the counterfeiting of silver tickets from multiple levels, so that those greedy and adventurous minds have nowhere to hide under the high pressure of the law. It was with these strict laws as an escort that the anti-counterfeiting ability of silver tickets could reach such a high level and become the safest form of currency at that time.
The development of silver tickets in the Ming and Qing dynasties
As an advanced form of currency, silver bills were further developed and perfected during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
By the time of the Ming Dynasty, the use of silver tickets had become very popular. At that time, in order to ensure the circulation of silver bills, the imperial court set up a special "banknote bureau" to be responsible for the issuance and management of silver bills.
The staff of the banknote bureau are all elites who have undergone rigorous assessment and training. They must not only be familiar with the production process of silver tickets, but also master the various anti-counterfeiting methods of silver tickets, and carefully check each silver ticket.
There's a story about a new staff member who happened in the banknote bureau. One day, when he was inspecting a batch of newly made silver tickets, he noticed that one of them had a dark pattern that was different from the others. He immediately reported the matter to his superiors, and after repeated checks, it was found that there was indeed a production error.
From this small incident, it can be seen how much attention the banknote bureau attaches to the anti-counterfeiting work of silver bills. They pay attention to every detail and never allow anything to slip through. It is with such strict management that the anti-counterfeiting performance of silver tickets can be effectively guaranteed.
In addition to the strict management of the banknote bureau, the Ming Dynasty also expanded the use of silver bills to include the payment of taxes. According to the rules, the common people could use silver bills to pay taxes directly to the government instead of using bulky silver.
This practice has undoubtedly greatly increased the circulation and recognition of silver bills. After all, if even the government recognizes the value of the silver ticket, then the people will naturally use it with confidence.
In the Qing Dynasty, the development of silver tickets once again ushered in a new peak. At that time, the imperial court not only inherited the management system of the Ming Dynasty, but also made a new breakthrough in the anti-counterfeiting technology of silver tickets.
There is a widely circulated saying that during the Qing Dynasty, silver stamps were printed with a line of extremely mysterious small characters, and the contents of these small characters would be changed regularly, and even the staff of the banknote office had no way of knowing.
Legend has it that on one occasion, when a scoundrel who forged a silver ticket was caught, he quibbled that the silver ticket he had made was impeccable. The inquisitor immediately took out the genuine silver ticket and asked him to compare it. The scoundrel looked at it carefully, and suddenly his face changed greatly, and he said tremblingly: "I see, I can't crack this mysterious little word at all!"
From this story, it can be seen that the anti-counterfeiting technology of silver tickets during the Qing Dynasty has reached an admirable height. That mysterious little print is like the last line of defense for the silver ticket, which makes countless greedy forgers fearful.
end
It is with the continuous development and improvement of the Ming and Qing dynasties that the advanced form of currency can be stable and far-reaching in the long history, and has become the safest and most reliable payment method at that time, providing a strong guarantee for the prosperity and development of commercial trade.