Method and device for examining value documents

A method for checking value documents which have a front side and a back side opposing the front side and which comprise a substrate and a specified luminescent substance applied to the substrate in at least a section of the front side of the value document, with the steps of:

• transporting the value documents individually past an excitation device which is configured to emit excitation radiation for exciting luminescence of the luminescent sub stance,
• meanwhile irradiating at least a section of a first side of a respective value document with excitation radiation by means of the excitation device,
• capturing at least a part of the luminescence radiation which emanates from the first side of the value document and which, when the first side is the front side of the value document, has been generated by excitation of the luminescent substance of the value document and has been emitted by the value document, or which, when the first side is the back side of the value document, has been excited by excitation of the luminescent substance of the value document by at least a part of the excitation radiation after transmission through the substrate of the value document and which exits at least partly at the first side after transmission through the substrate, by means of the capture device, and
• checking the value document in dependence on at least one property of the captured luminescence radiation by means of an evaluation device.