An intermediate cover board for assembly of hard cover products, in which a primary sheet having a first thickness and opposing planar surfaces defines an opening in a selected portion of the sheet. The opening receives a security device. A pair of opposing secondary sheets each having a second thickness less than the first thickness laminate to the opposing planar surfaces of the primary sheet, so that the security device is enclosed between the laminated secondary sheets that do not display surface indications of the presence of the security device. A method of making the intermediate laminated cover board and a hard cover product made with the intermediate laminated cover board are disclosed.