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BLEEDING INK SECURITY FEATURE
One provider describes it as follows: "Bleeding ink prints in black but when exposed to any aqueous solution it will produce a red stain. Authenticity of a document can easily be tested without the use of any special agents. User can just wet a finger and run it across the ink to instantly see the affect of the bleeding ink. This ink is only available for use on dry offset printing." If it doesn't work with intaglio printing, that would explain why the feature is found on U.S. government checks but not banknotes. I found one patent for "bleeding ink", but there may be others. Here's the abstract. -Editor Bleeding ink for printing security documents A bleeding or fugitive printing ink is disclosed and claimed which can be printed by the method of dry or wet offset or letterpress. This ink allows, when printed on security documents and dried, to prevent attempts of forgery or counterfeit in that the ink contains at least one dyestuff which is sensitive to organic solvents and other chemical reagents. The ink, when printed, forms a solid, polymerized or cross-linked binder matrix on the surface of the document when the printings are submitted to energy radiation, or by an oxypolymerization reaction. This matrix is formed near immediately, in the case of oxypolymerization within 24 hours, in contrast to conventional bleeding printing inks whose matrixes do not really dry and remain liquid in the interstices of the substrate. I reached out to E-Sylum regular and former Bureau of Engraving and Printing Director Bob Leuver. Thanks. -Editor Bob writes: "The security features exist in the arsenal of both the Secret Service and the BEP. I am aware of the security features announced for the Covid-19 IRS payment checks. Rather awesome. However, I do not know which agency is responsible for the research and implementation of the security features, that is, Secret Service, BEP, or Bureau of Fiscal Service. Nor do I know which agency or company printed the checks (stock), the BEP, Government Printing Office or an outside company. I would think that the development use and care of these security features is rather tightly held." To read the complete patent, see:
For more on security inks, see:
 Wayne Homren, Editor The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org. To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum All Rights Reserved. NBS Home Page Contact the NBS webmaster 
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