UniqueMark

This project aims to improve the safety of INCM's contrasting marks in precious metal artefacts (the precious metals are officially designated: gold, silver, platinum and palladium), making them unique and unable to be copied and faked. One of the objectives of this project is to allow the test of authenticity of the object to be made by goldsmiths, merchants and consumers equipped with verification instruments with a high level of ubiquity and therefore relatively easy to handle, inexpensive and simple to acquire, namely basic lenses or smartphone cameras. This is a research and development project funded by the Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda (Portuguese Mint and Official Printing Office), the official portuguese state company in charge of providing fundamental goods and services to the Portuguese State, such as minting metallic coins and publishing the Official Journal. Security documents such as the Portuguese Citizen Card and the passport are also produced by INCM as well as the authentication of precious metals artefacts.