Which country's patent is the watermark on paper money? I heard that it used to be a Japanese patent.

Watermark was first used for printing money in Germany, and was first used for Saxony paper money issued in Germany in 1772.

It was Italy that first invented the watermark technology, but it was Germany that first applied it in making paper money.

ki.com.cn/Article/CJFD2002-FLDA200208020.htm