Optical Features Retained in Argentina’s Revamped Tax Stamps

Argentina’s cigarette tax stamps have undergone a redesign following the transformation of the country’s tax authority from the Administración Federal de Ingresos Públicos (AFIP) to the Agencia de Recaudación y Control Aduanero (ARCA). While the change reflects new institutional branding and regulatory updates under General Resolution 5603/2024, the stamps’ core optical security features remain firmly in place.

The revamped stamps form part of the Traceability, Identification and Control Solution (STIC) – a physicaldigital system introduced in 2023 to curb tax evasion in the tobacco industry. Developed by SICPA and printed by CAMOAR (Casa de Moneda Argentina, the state printer), the original stamp design integrated microlettering, guilloches, 2D barcodes, and high-security inks to ensure authenticity and traceability.

Among the most notable optical features were:

• Screen-printed optically active ink, which shifts colour with the viewing angle, and displays additional optical effects through a dual-polarisation filter.
• Invisible inks that can only be read with proprietary devices.