SAT Question 1872cd6d: Transitions answer and explanation

English - Transitions - Addition Or Continuation
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When printing paper money for the colony of Pennsylvania in the 1730s, Benjamin Franklin—then a Philadelphia shop owner—took steps to combat the circulation of counterfeit notes, such as weaving blue threads and muscovite (a reflective mineral) into the paper he used. ______ he stamped the notes with detailed imprints of sage leaves that proved difficult for forgers to replicate.
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Difficulty:Hard
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?