IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/jns/jbstat/v237y2017i6p469-497n10.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does Banknote Quality Affect Counterfeit Detection? Experimental Evidence from Germany and the Netherlands

Author

Listed:
  • van der Horst Frank
  • Miedema Jelle

    (De Nederlandsche Bank, Westeinde 1, 1017 ZN, Amsterdam, Netherlands)

  • Eschelbach Martina
  • Sieber Susann

    (Deutsche Bundesbank, Wilhelm-Epstein-Straße 14, 60431Frankfurt am Main, Germany)

Abstract

Counterfeit prevention is a major concern for central banks. In search of effective policy measures, it is often claimed that a clean banknote circulation helps the general public to more easily detect counterfeits. To examine this claim, we conducted an experimental study with 250 consumers and 261 cashiers in the Netherlands and Germany. Participants received 200 banknotes with either a high or a low average soil level. The banknote test sets contained 20 counterfeits to be detected by the participants. For the regression analysis we applied approaches used in the area of psychophysical science (signal detection theory). Our candidates identified more counterfeits when sorting clean banknotes. However, our analysis also showed that the cleanliness of banknotes does not actually help the person checking the banknote to more easily distinguish a counterfeit banknote from a genuine note. In fact, new and clean banknotes raised suspicion: they were more often declared as counterfeits – correctly or not. We discuss the implication of our results for central banks’ banknote policies.

Suggested Citation

  • van der Horst Frank & Miedema Jelle & Eschelbach Martina & Sieber Susann, 2017. "Does Banknote Quality Affect Counterfeit Detection? Experimental Evidence from Germany and the Netherlands," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 237(6), pages 469-497, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:jns:jbstat:v:237:y:2017:i:6:p:469-497:n:10
    DOI: 10.1515/jbnst-2017-0122
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/jbnst.ahead-of-print/jbnst-2017-0122/jbnst-2017-0122.xml?format=INT
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1515/jbnst-2017-0122?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. John Bagnall & David Bounie & Kim P. Huynh & Anneke Kosse & Tobias Schmidt & Scott Schuh, 2016. "Consumer Cash Usage: A Cross-Country Comparison with Payment Diary Survey Data," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 12(4), pages 1-61, December.
    2. John Bagnall & David Bounie & Kim P. Huynh & Anneke Kosse & Tobias Schmidt & Scott Schuh, 2016. "Consumer Cash Usage: A Cross-Country Comparison with Payment Diary Survey Data," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 12(4), pages 1-61, December.
    3. Nicole Jonker & Bram Scholten & Marco Wind (DNB) & Martijn van Emmerik & Marieke van der Hoeven (TNO Human Factors), 2006. "Counterfeit or genuine: can you tell the difference?," DNB Working Papers 121, Netherlands Central Bank, Research Department.
    4. Jeffrey M Wooldridge, 2010. "Econometric Analysis of Cross Section and Panel Data," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 2, volume 1, number 0262232588, April.
    5. Ai, Chunrong & Norton, Edward C., 2003. "Interaction terms in logit and probit models," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 80(1), pages 123-129, July.
    6. Hans de Heij, 2010. "Banknote design for retailers and public," DNB Occasional Studies 804, Netherlands Central Bank, Research Department.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Frank van der Horst & Jelle Miedema & Joshua Snell & Jan Theeuwes, 2020. "Banknote verification relies on vision, feel and a single second," Working Papers 680, DNB.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. van der Horst Frank & Miedema Jelle & Eschelbach Martina & Sieber Susann, 2017. "Does Banknote Quality Affect Counterfeit Detection? Experimental Evidence from Germany and the Netherlands," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 237(6), pages 469-497, December.
    2. Heng Chen & Marie-Hélène Felt & Kim P. Huynh, 2017. "Retail payment innovations and cash usage: accounting for attrition by using refreshment samples," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 180(2), pages 503-530, February.
    3. Janet Hua Jiang & Enchuan Shao, 2014. "Understanding the Cash Demand Puzzle," Staff Working Papers 14-22, Bank of Canada.
    4. Daniel Fackler & Claus Schnabel & Joachim Wagner, 2013. "Establishment exits in Germany: the role of size and age," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 683-700, October.
    5. Fernando Alvarez & Francesco Lippi & Roberto Robatto, 2019. "Cost of Inflation in Inventory Theoretical Models," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 32, pages 206-226, April.
    6. Sakaue, Katsuki, 2018. "Informal fee charge and school choice under a free primary education policy: Panel data evidence from rural Uganda," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 112-127.
    7. Zaporozhets, Vera & García-Valiñas, María & Kurz, Sascha, 2016. "Key drivers of EU budget allocation: Does power matter?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 57-70.
    8. Clémence Bussière & Pauline Chauvin & Jean-Michel Josselin & Christine Sévilla-Dedieu, 2022. "Assessing real-world effectiveness of therapies: what is the impact of incretin-based treatments on hospital use for patients with type 2 diabetes?," Post-Print hal-03830798, HAL.
    9. Sedova, Barbora & Kalkuhl, Matthias, 2020. "Who are the climate migrants and where do they go? Evidence from rural India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    10. Kohler, Wilhelm & Kukharskyy, Bohdan, 2019. "Offshoring under uncertainty," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 158-180.
    11. Florian Diekert & Tillmann Eymess & Joseph Luomba & Israel Waichman, 2022. "The Creation of Social Norms under Weak Institutions," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 9(6), pages 1127-1160.
    12. Adam William Chalmers & Lisa Maria Dellmuth, 2015. "Fiscal redistribution and public support for European integration," European Union Politics, , vol. 16(3), pages 386-407, September.
    13. Hessami, Zohal & Resnjanskij, Sven, 2019. "Complex ballot propositions, individual voting behavior, and status quo bias," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 82-101.
    14. García-Vega, María & Huergo, Elena, 2019. "The role of international and domestic R&D outsourcing for firm innovation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 775-792.
    15. Florencia Verónica Pedroni & Gabriela Pesce & Anahí Briozzo, 2022. "Inclusión financiera, medios de pago electrónicos y evasión tributaria: análisis económico y aplicación en Argentina," Apuntes del Cenes, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, vol. 41(73), pages 171-202, February.
    16. Nabokin, Tatjana, 2014. "Global Investment Decisions and Patent Protection: Evidence from German Multinationals," Discussion Papers in Economics 21266, University of Munich, Department of Economics.
    17. Drazen, Allan & Eslava, Marcela, 2010. "Electoral manipulation via voter-friendly spending: Theory and evidence," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(1), pages 39-52, May.
    18. Paul Pichler & Martin Summer & Beat Weber, 2020. "Does digitalization require Central Bank Digital Currencies for the general public?," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue Q4/19, pages 40-56.
    19. Schlueter, Tobias & Sievers, Soenke & Hartmann-Wendels, Thomas, 2015. "Bank funding stability, pricing strategies and the guidance of depositors," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 43-61.
    20. Bluhm, Richard & Crombrugghe, Denis de & Szirmai, Adam, 2012. "Explaining the dynamics of stagnation: An empirical examination of the North, Wallis and Weingast approach," MERIT Working Papers 2012-040, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    banknotes; counterfeits; banknote quality; signal detection theory;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E40 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - General
    • E41 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Demand for Money
    • E50 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - General
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:jns:jbstat:v:237:y:2017:i:6:p:469-497:n:10. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.degruyter.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.