1. A method of verifying the authenticity of a test document relative to an authentic document, each of the documents having at least one indicia printed thereon, said method comprising: optically capturing at a predetermined magnification a first image of at least a portion of said indicia on the authentic document; optically capturing at a predetermined magnification a second image of a corresponding portion of said indicia on the test document; characterizing the first and second images; verifying whether said first and second images are sufficiently identical; and indicating whether the test document is authentic.