500 Yuan Central Bank, with holographic strip

The holographic strip on this 2004 issue marked a significant upgrade to the NT$500 series, introduced partly in response to counterfeiting pressure that had plagued earlier polymer and cotton iterations of high-denomination Taiwanese notes through the 1990s. The Central Engraving and Printing Plant — one of the few Asian central bank printers to have maintained continuous intaglio production capability since relocating from the mainland in 1949 — handled the integration domestically rather than subcontracting the security feature application abroad, which was not universally the case for comparable regional issuers at the time.

Pick #1996 distinguishes this holographic variant from the otherwise visually near-identical earlier printings, a distinction that trips up many collectors working from incomplete references.