Hidden message

When I wrote recently about the old angpow my late mother had given me for Chinese New Year sometime in the early 1980s, I didn’t expect it to stir up an old, half-forgotten fascination of mine: the intricate security designs of our old currency notes. Modern banknotes are created through an elaborate digital process with layers of computer-aided design, specialised software and machine-readable security features woven together with mathematical precision. Today’s notes are products of technology.

But before the digital age, countries relied on the skill of master engravers whose craftsmanship brought complexity to life through metal plates, steady hands and specialised printing machines. Every line, swirl and shading was carved manually, and it was this human touch, precise yet artistic, that made forgery so difficult.

When I looked again at the one-dollar note, I found myself mesmerised by its delicate patterns and the sheer effort they must have required. These engravers were in demand worldwide, each called upon to create designs that were not only beautiful but impossible to imitate.

I remember, back when I was working at the bank in the early 1980s, someone challenged us to examine the back of the one-dollar note for a hidden mark. We peered at it endlessly, and soon enough, being bank staff, we spotted it: a tiny, cheeky surprise tucked into the top border. Was it accidental, or did the engraver have a sense of humour? Because there it was, the word HAWAII, disguised within the ends of the wavy lines. A little secret left behind by a craftsman, still waiting to be discovered decades later.