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                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.3
 
                    INSTRUCTIONS TO REGISTERED HOLDER AND/OR
         BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER FACILITY PARTICIPANT FROM BENEFICIAL OWNER
                                       OF
                         AMERICAN BANKNOTE CORPORATION
                   11 1/4% SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2007
 
     To Registered Holder and/or Participant of the Book-Entry Transfer
Facility:
 
     The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of the Prospectus,
dated            , 1998 (as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to
time, the "Prospectus") of American Banknote Corporation, a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"), and the accompanying Letter of Transmittal (the "Letter of
Transmittal"), that together constitute the Company's offer (the "Exchange
Offer"), Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meanings
ascribed to them in the Prospectus.
 
     This will instruct you, the registered holder and/or book-entry transfer
facility participant, as to action to be taken by you relating to the Exchange
Offer with respect to the 11 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2007 (the
"Notes") held by you for the account of the undersigned.
 
     The aggregate face amount of the Notes held by you for the account of the
undersigned is (fill in amount):
 
     $          of the 11 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2007.
 
     With respect to the Exchange Offer, the undersigned hereby instructs you
(check appropriate box):
 
     [ ]  TO TENDER the following Notes held by you for the account of the
          undersigned (insert principal amount of Notes to be tendered, if any):
          $
 
     [ ]  NOT TO TENDER any Notes held by you for the account of the
          undersigned.
 
     If the undersigned instruct you to tender the Notes held by you for the
account of the undersigned, it is understood that you are authorized (a) to
make, on behalf of the undersigned (and the undersigned, by its signature below,
hereby makes to you), the representation and warranties contained in the Letter
of Transmittal that are to be made with respect to the undersigned as a
beneficial owner, including, but not limited to, the representations that (i)
the undersigned's principal residence is in the State of             (fill in
State) (ii) the undersigned is acquiring the Exchange Notes in the ordinary
course of business of the undersigned, (iii) the undersigned is not
participating, does not participate, and has no arrangement or understanding
with any person to participate in the distribution of the Exchange Notes, (iv)
the undersigned acknowledges that any person participating in the Exchange Offer
for the purpose of distributing the Exchange Notes must comply with the
registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "Act"), in connection with a secondary resale transaction of the
Exchange Notes acquired by such person and cannot rely on the position of the
Staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission set forth in no-action letters
that are discussed in the section of the Prospectus entitled "The Exchange
Offer -- Resale of the Exchange Notes," and (v) the undersigned is not an
"affiliate," as defined in Rule 405 under the Act, of the Company or any
Guarantor; (b) to agree, on behalf of the undersigned, as set forth in the
Letter of Transmittal; and (c) to take such other action as necessary under the
Prospectus or the Letter of Transmittal to effect the valid tender of such
Notes.
 
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     [ ]  Check this box if the Beneficial Owner of the Note is a Participating
          Broker-Dealer and such Participating Broker-Dealer acquired the Notes
          for its own account as a result of market-making activities or other
          trading activities. If this box is checked, a copy of these
          Instructions must be received within three New York Stock Exchange
          trading days after the Expiration Date by American Banknote
          Corporation, attention Harvey J. Kesner, facsimile (212) 338-0740.
 
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                                   SIGN HERE
 
Name of beneficial owner(s):
                            ----------------------------------------------------
 
Signature(s):
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Name (please print):
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Address:
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Telephone number:
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Taxpayer Identification or Social Security Number:
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Date:
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