An article adapted to be utilized in the production of optically variable ink comprised of a flexible insoluble web, a release lever formed on the web and an optically variable multilayer thin film interference stack disposed on the release layer and which provides a color shift between two predetermined uniform colors. The interference stack includes an opaque reflective layer which has first and second surfaces and at least one period on each said first and second surfaces to provide the same color shift from each of said first and second surfaces between said two predetermined uniform colors at two different angles of incident light. Each period is comprised of a dielectric layer and a semi-opaque layer.