The invention relates to a security element which is applicable to a supporting material of a document of value and whose structures are compatible with the structures on the supporting material of the document of value. The inventive security element is activatable by application thereof in the form of a security characteristic to a given location on the supporting material of the document of value in such a way that hidden information is visually or mechanically recognisable. The documents of value to which or in which at least one such security characteristic is applied or at least partly inserted are also disclosed.
