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Portraits are a traditional element on bank notes.
Facial features themselves are ideal for steel engraving, as this craftsmanship results in the lifelike detail found on genuine bank notes. Notice the sharpness of the details around the eyes, the concentric circles within the eye, as well as the fine lines in the hair and face. In the 1986 series portraits were enlarged to take advantage of the detailed engravings and to capitalize on the public's ability to easily recognize changes or irregularities on familiar portraits.