Half a Dinar – Half Trash: Pay Attention to These Markings

In the first three months of this year, a total of 2,361 counterfeit banknotes were discovered, comprising 450 dinars and 1,911 foreign currencies, according to data from the National Bank of Serbia (NBS). Among the counterfeits, the most common were euros, followed by dinars and US dollars.

When it comes to domestic currency, NBS told B92.net that the most counterfeited note is the 2,000 RSD bill. For foreign currencies, the most targeted are €50 and €100 and $100 bills.

You don’t need to worry too much about low-denomination notes, as counterfeiters aren’t especially interested in them; they’re not worth the effort.

With high-denomination notes like 5,000 dinars or €500, there is a greater risk because they are less commonly used and recipients often struggle to give change, inspect the notes more carefully, and are more likely to suspect a fake, the NBS told B92.net.

What to Look For: How to Spot a Fake Dinar Note

If a banknote appears slightly blurry, it’s probably a fake. Printed details on counterfeit notes lack sharpness, which is most noticeable on the main feature: the portrait on the front of the note, as well as other elements. On genuine notes, all details are sharply defined, making the printed design appear very clear.

Counterfeits also usually feel smooth to the touch, lacking the raised (intaglio) print that genuine notes have. With the real bill, you can feel this raised print by lightly running your fingertips across the portrait, the text “NARODNA BANKA SRBIJE” (in both Cyrillic and Latin, the left and right edges of the note), and other parts.

When holding a counterfeit note up to a light source, the watermark (which appears in a white rectangle on genuine notes) is often missing. Even when imitated, it tends to show a poorly defined portrait with blurry details and distorted features, which is different from the watermark on a real note.

The security thread on fakes is often poorly mimicked using bits of gray tape or gray paint applied in segments, which becomes obvious when the note is held against a light source. On genuine notes, the security thread is continuous and features microtext “dinar” alternating in Cyrillic and Latin along its entire length.

The hologram is often faked by heat-sealing gray foil with a nominal value imprint that’s usually visible at first glance. On genuine notes, this element shows rainbow-like color effects when tilted, includes precise microtext with the denomination, and has clean, sharp lines.

Counterfeits Made from Two Parts

However, the NBS warns of another phenomenon discovered in recent years: two-part counterfeits, where one part is genuine and the other is fake.

If only one part of the note is inspected, one might incorrectly conclude that the entire note is authentic. While one part may be genuine, the other has been fake and attached to it, turning the whole note counterfeit.

The National Bank of Serbia provides information on banknote security features on its website.

What to Do If You Have a Fake Banknote

If you’re holding counterfeit money, you have two options: turn it in to any bank or the nearest police station.

The bank or police will issue a receipt confirming they’ve received the money and will forward it to the National Bank of Serbia for analysis. A report on the examination will then be returned to you through the bank or police.

However, counterfeit money is not reimbursed.

If confirmed that the banknote is fake, it will be kept by the National Bank of Serbia until it is destroyed. It may also be handed over to the police or judicial authorities for use in criminal proceedings related to the offense of counterfeiting.