Banknotes and coins

Euro banknotes

Design

The euro banknotes have been in circulation since 1 January 2002. There are seven denominations, each with a different size: €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200 and €500.

The euro banknotes depict the architectural styles of seven periods in Europe's cultural history - classical, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, baroque and rococo, the age of iron and glass architecture, and modern 20th century architecture - and show three main architectural elements: windows, doorways and bridges. None of the designs depict actual buildings or monuments. There are no individual national designs on the banknotes.

The windows and doorways on the front of each banknote symbolise the spirit of openness and cooperation in Europe. The reverse of each banknote features a bridge typical of the respective age of European cultural development. These images are a metaphor for communication among the people of Europe, as well as between Europe and the rest of the world.

The euro banknotes are produced at printing works throughout the EU. Strict quality controls ensure that all banknotes produced are identical in quality and appearance. At the end of 2008, some 11.8 billion euro banknotes worth €684 billion were in circulation.

Security features

Euro banknotes are produced using sophisticated printing technology. They also have a number of prominent security features, which make them easy to distinguish from counterfeits. You do not need special equipment to do so. All you have to do is feel, look at and tilt the banknotes.

It is recommended to always check several security features. If in doubt, compare the banknote with one you know to be genuine.

Feel

the crisp, firm banknote paper. Feel the raised print: run your finger across the front of the banknote – or scratch it gently with your fingernail – and you will feel that the ink is thicker in some parts.

Look

at the banknote and hold it against the light to see the watermark, the security thread and the see-through number. All three features can be seen from the front and back of a genuine banknote.

Tilt

the banknote to see the shifting image on the hologram, the glossy stripe (on the €5, €10 and €20 banknotes) and the colour-changing number (on the €50, €100, €200 and €500 banknotes).

For more details on the euro banknotes including an animation of the security features, see www.ecb.europa.eu/euro/banknotes/security/html/