How can you check the authenticity of EURO banknotes?
EURO banknotes have a lot of safety features! |
Euro banknotes have been in circulation since 1st January 2002. There are seven denominations, each of which is a different size: €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200 and €500. Euro banknotes represent building styles from seven periods of European cultural history: classical, romantic, gothic, renaissance, baroque and rococo, iron and glass architecture and modern architecture of the 20th century. Here three essential architectural elements are used: windows, doors and bridges. None of the pictures represent an actual building. The banknotes also do not exhibit national symbols. |
The Euro banknotes are produced by banknote printers in different EU member states. Strict quality checks ensure that all banknotes are identical in quality and appearance. At the end of 2006 around 11.3 million Euro banknotes with a value of € 628 billion were in circulation.
Safety features
In the production of EURO banknotes a special printing technique is used. The banknotes also exhibit high-tech safety characteristics, which make them easier to recognise but hard to forge. It is recommended that you always check several safety features:FEEL the texture of the banknote paper. It should be rough and consistent. Run your finger over the front of the banknote and you will feel that the picture is raised at some points.
SEE – look at a banknote and hold it up to the light: the watermark, the security strip and the transparent index number are visible. On genuine banknotes all three features can be seen on the front and reverse.
TURN the banknote: The Euro symbol, an architectural design or the value of the banknote appear on the hologram on the front, depending on the angle you are viewing the banknote at. On the reverse you can see the glossy strip (on the €5, €10 and €20 banknotes) or the number with a changing colour (on the €50, €100, €200 and €500 banknotes).
Special design features have also been introduced in order to make it easier for blind and visually-impaired people to recognise the different denominations.
Further information about Euro banknotes including an animation about the safety features can be found at www.ecb.europa.eu/bc/euro/banknotes/html/index.de.html .
Source: European Central Bank (http://www.ecb.int/ecb/educational/facts/euro/html/bc_001.de.html)
Police tips for EURO 2008
Avoid problems by observing the following tips:- Use banks or official exchange offices to change money.
- Check the exchanged banknotes immediately to see that they are genuine.