Intaglio Printing
Used on:
• All notes, circulation and commemorative
Many parts of Singapore’s banknotes feel slightly raised when you run your fingers over them. This effect is produced by intaglio printing, a specialised printing technique that creates a textured, embossed feel. It’s not just decorative—this raised print helps users verify if a note is genuine and also assists people with poor eyesight by enhancing tactility.
Intaglio printing works by using metal plates with deep grooves cut into them. Ink fills these grooves, and the plates are then pressed onto the banknote with great force. This leaves behind a thick layer of ink that forms the raised areas you can feel. Because it requires specialised equipment and high pressure, it’s extremely difficult to replicate with standard printers.
Singapore has used intaglio printing on all of our banknotes series—Orchid, Bird, Ship, and Portrait, as well as commemorative notes. On Portrait notes, you can feel it on key features such as the image of Yusof Ishak, the large denomination numerals, and the word “SINGAPORE.” Even on polymer notes, the raised texture remains, though it may feel slightly different from paper notes. Other areas with intaglio include the Singapore Coat of Arms and the tactile identification dots to help visually impaired users distinguish between denominations.