Talk:Euro banknotes

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To-do list for Euro banknotes:

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Expand: Add which bridges are shown on the banknotes, in the description list

[edit] copies

Isn't it illegal to make copies of banknotes or even if you did not copy them. I think its ok if you hide the currecny mark or something. - fonzy

The EU put images of the banknotes online, in the period before they went into circulation. I don't know EU laws on this--US law allows copies of money if they're sufficiently enlarged or shrunk. Vicki Rosenzweig

Well I am not shore. But shoudn;t we jsut for teh moement be on teh safe side. Do something. Then if it si ok put them back. - fonzy

There's no danger of the images being illegal because they could be used for counterfeiting, as they came directly from the ECB's own site. Scipius 09:06 Sep 21, 2002 (UTC)

the ECB site seems to have watermarked the pictures with "specimen"... (link) also, the ECB owns the copyright to it. link and point 6, and most of page 2 of this. Seems to be mostly the same as US law. -Sharth

What looks like "EKT" is actually Greek letters. Should it be encoded as such? (See European Central Bank for what they stand for.) -phma

Good idea. Implemented. -Scipius 00:03 Feb 24, 2003 (UTC)

(see also below -- sannse (talk) 21:39, 21 Dec 2004 (UTC))

[edit] True or false??

True or false: A 5 Euro banknote is worth the exact same amount as a American $5 bill. (I mean, the ratio of a Euro and an American dollar is 1:1)

False. At least false in general. The exchange rate of both currencies vary. It is true however that at the moment they are worth approximately the same. DJ Clayworth 18:44, 6 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Well now €1 will get you about U$D1.28. Gerbon689 19:58, 05 Apr 2005 (UTC)

As of 8 May, 2008, €1 will get you US$ 1,53. George Adam Horváth (talk) 10:31, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Manchester code for 10 Euro note

Judging by the other examples given, the Manchester code for the €10 note should be "0101 10" without the final 1 - since two code positions are taken together to give one resulting digit, there should not be an odd number of positions in Manchester code.

However, since I'm not certain the translation "110" given here might be incorrect, rather than the "0101 101" code, I thought I'd ask here. -- pne 12:31, 8 Jun 2004 (UTC)

i'll ask the original source (news://europa.union.euro) about that

thewikipedian

no need to ask any officials, I think in 2 years someone could have looked at a note by himself. Another question: for the results shown in the table, you have to look at the note from the back, and a bright bar is 0, a dark bar 1. Is this in any way "official", or can it be done in any way?

Looking from the front and making bright bars 1 and dark 0, it would give the codes 001,011,0000,0001,0011,0111,1111 - I think, this would look more logical. --Androl 09:21, 31 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Checksum? Seems wrong to me.

I've tried working out the checksum for the notes there, and I get zero every time. Either the instructions are wrong, or it does not work with the notes shown.

Same here. I had a bill with number X03418732469, and according to my calculations (which I repeated 5 times) the last number should be 0. But it is 9. I have a second one, with the same problem. I have looked for the right calculations, but I can't find those yet. --Omegium 22:15, 18 Sep 2004 (UTC)

X03418732469: 24+3+4+1+8+7+3+2+4+6+9 = 71 7+1=8 The last digit can never be 0, a 0 is not necessary because the 9 will give the same checksum.

The mistake you all make is that you DON'T HAVE to replace the country code by it's number in the alfabeth!!! You have to ignore this character completely.

This means that: X03418732469, the X stands for Gemany (cheksum = 2) 3+4+1+8+7+3+2+4+6+9 = 47 -> 4+7 = 11 -> 1+1 = 2 = Germany!

Also the example on the current page is completely wrong. U08217383936, the U stands for France (checksum = 5), 0+8+2+1+7+3+8+3+9+3+6 = 50 -> 5 = France!!!

All very well, except that you don't explain why X = 2 = Germany and U = 5= France? --Red King 20:48, 20 January 2007 (UTC)

Read the part of "Country letters" - "National identification codes" - "Checksum" of the article.

[edit] remote detection

I've heard of plans to embed RFID chips in all Euro notes. If anyone knows specifics about this, could they please update the article. I also wonder whether the metal foil decal on the notes can be detected by metal detectors while the notes are in your wallet.

I'm not sure about the RFID (I know ECB is considering it but whether of not they'll do it, I can't say) but I can tell you with certainty that the metal foil in the notes does not set off metal detectors (I'm not sure if it is metal) - Gerbon689 19:58, 05 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Dear all, the metalic stripe embedded in the paper is no longer made of metal. If you look very carefully, each note has a certain text punched into the "metal strip". However, if you look even MORE carefully, you will notice that the "metal" immediately around the text is of a lighter colour. Note issuing authorities have been using plastic strips instead of metal for over a decade now, and as far as I know they have done so with the euro as well. George Adam Horváth 08:27, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Complaint

We have received a complaint from the ECB about this page, because our images, which according to the above came from the ECB site (!) do not have "specimen' watermarked into them. Anyway, I checked and the ones on their site at this link now have 'Specimen' and we should delete the ones we have and replace them with these I think.

I think our encyclopedia mission is satisfied perfectly well with the "specimen" version, so I see no reason to fight with them about it. --Jimbo Wales 21:35, 21 Dec 2004 (UTC)

I'll do this - I've got the files - just in the process of converting to .png now -- sannse (talk) 21:43, 21 Dec 2004 (UTC)

Having looked at the images with specimen on them, they appear pretty badly defaced and unsuitable as reasonably accurate representations of the notes. It appears from the above discussion that the existing images are already of notes with an invalid serial number. Seems to me to be a poor idea to use the current versions from their site, though a specimen note which defaces them less might do the job. Perhaps someone has a photograph of the notes instead? Or mismatched halves so it's impossible to construct a complete note but the images aren't so badly defaced? Jamesday 21:53, 21 Dec 2004 (UTC)

I've done the uploads - but certainly see Jamesday's point here. Perhaps we could take the earlier versions and use a fainter "specimen" bannaer. That might work. Of course, if someone can take better image - that would be best -- sannse (talk) 22:06, 21 Dec 2004 (UTC)

I notice the current rules on the reproduction of Euro notes were published in the OJEU in March 2003, which was after the images were loaded here! The rules for electronic reproduction ("Specimen" in Ariel or Ariel-like font, diagonally across the note, at least 75% of the width and 15% of the height, in a contrasting non-opaque colour) seem a bit tricky to get round, but I suppose we could use a faint colour for it. -- Arwel 22:33, 21 Dec 2004 (UTC)

The ECB complains about a page in wikipedia?! How odd... I also complain: the 500 euros image shoud be removed. it's a lot of money and the article could be robbed. -Pedro 22:07, 15 Mar 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Polymer banknote Euro?

When the notes came out first, Irish newspapers ran the story that they would be replaced with plastic (by which I suppose they mean Polymer banknote technology) within a couple of years. Has there been any developments on this front? Seabhcán 19:15, 17 Jan 2005 (UTC)

Don't know about it but you could try contacting the ECB about it at info@ecb.int. Maybe you have already, I don't know, just thought I'd say it anyway.

I read that they kept to paper for the changeover because the EU thought converting to euros was more than enough for people to cope with. --Dlatimer 15:10, 24 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Euro banknotes in use?

Is it just me, or are the higher-valued Euro banknotes extremely uncommon in actual use? I use €5, €10 and €20 notes pretty much routinely, but I only get my hands on a €50 note once every two or three months, and to this day, I have had a €100, €200 or €500 note exactly once in my entire life, and even that was when I emptied my entire apartment rent back-up account for transfer into a different account.

What's the point in printing banknotes no one ever gets to use? 85.76.152.179 18:20, 10 Feb 2005 (UTC)

It depends what country you're in. When I go to Ireland I find I commonly get €50 notes out of the cash machines in Dun Laoghaire near the ferry terminal. Notes above €100 are not issued in France and Portugal (though imports are of course valid), and they were not printed for Ireland (the Central Bank got a small stock from elsewhere for people who needed them). On the other hand, the use of high-value notes has always been common in Germany and Austria because credit cards are less popular there and they had high value notes in the old currencies. -- Arwel 20:21, 10 Feb 2005 (UTC)

"I commonly get €50 notes out of the cash machines" - oo get him! ;) I think they're most usually save for large cash transfers and the like, just like £50 notes. violet/riga (t) 20:27, 10 Feb 2005 (UTC)

Heh! At the moment I'd be grateful if my bank account would let me at such amounts :) They're not terribly uncommon in Dublin, at least -- I remember seeing plenty of them cross the bar at the Porter House. There was one cash machine on the corner of O'Connell Street and on of the streets to the east - not Talbot St, but one nearby - which used to dish out IE£50 notes if you asked for more than £100 - it was very surprising when I asked it for £110 and got a £50 and 3 £20s, rather than 5 £20s and a £10. IE£50 is about €63.50, and again I had no trouble spending one in the Porter House... -- Arwel 22:14, 10 Feb 2005 (UTC)

I can verify that observation. Cash machines in Dublin are rarely loaded with anything other than €50s and €20s, and similar for cash withdrawals from banks. The €50 note plays the role of the £20 in England as the note in which larger cash transactions are most likely to take place. €10s and €5s are generally returned as change and passed around enough to become grubby very rapidly. €100, €200 and €500 are very rare and generally only available from banks on special request. Pulling any of them out among friends will attract a 'coo look at that'. Anyway, with the price of drink, to buy a round of 4 you'd need to be pulling out more than a single €20. jlang 10:29, 13 Feb 2005 (UTC)

Similar here in Austria. 5€ and 10€ are in regular use, 20€ is nothing special either. 50€ can often be seen, as well. 100€ are already rather rare, and I can't recall ever seeing 200€ or 500€ in actual use. On the other hand, Austria had 5000S as its highest denomination prior to the Euro, which is about 363€, so maybe that's the reason for the high use of 20€ and 50€, compared to what was written above. Nightstallion 10:46, 13 Feb 2005 (UTC)

'Notes above €100 are not issued in France and Portugal. False for France: I had €100 and €500 notes when I withdrew a large amount of money. David.Monniaux 13:05, 26 July 2005 (UTC)

€200 and €500 notes are used in some places. In Basel (Switzerland), a majority of the bank machines dispense Euros as well as Swiss Franks. Switzerland is not in the EU, but Basel is on the border, and has enough commuters from France and Germany, as well as Swiss residents who shop in France or Germany, to make it worth while. These machines dispense €50 and €100, or €100 and €200 notes. I even know one which dispenses €500 notes. This could be in part due to Switzerland, and adjacent Germany, being more of a cash-based economy than some other countries. TiffaF 14:03, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

'Notes above €100 are not issued in France and Portugal - Actually, according to the ECBs original emission scheme Portugal was the ONLY country not to issue any notes higher than 100€. Every other member state has issued a certain amount of 200 and 500 notes, although their actual use and popularity varies. To add to previous comments, last week I was in a Brussels supermarket and a lady in front of me decided to pay for 8 euro worth of goods with a 500 euro note. I don't suppose I have to explain the havoc she caused. She eventually got her change in some fifties (well, one, actually), and the rest in twenties. You should have seen her face :D Regards, George Adam Horváth 07:07, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

I never carried a 50 note; maybe in 2001-2 I might have had difficulty to get change for it, but I guess not now anymore -- filling the car's tank is about 40 euros, a lunch will easily cost about 10. On the other hand, I see no purpose or utility in the 1 c and 2 c coins, the cheapest thing you can buy being 5 c. On the other hand again, when abroad, I had difficulty in buying stuff with 5 euro notes, receiving change in a currency without any use (or exchange rate) elsewhere and that anyway couldn't be taken out of that country. 1 or 2 euro notes would make sense in that context, as has been pointed out sometimes; or carrying dollars. Xyzt1234 11:51, 2 November 2007 (UTC)

In Spain, when you withdraw cash from a cash machine, you normally get €20 and €50 notes, although this depends on the individual bank. La Caixa, for example, is notorious for not letting you withdraw anything less than €20, whereas Cajasol and some others would let you withdraw notes of €10. On the 1 cent and 2 cent coin use: it is true, that in general, 1 and 2 cent coins can be pretty useless, but in Spain, unless you're short-changed, your change is given exact to the cent. This may have to do with the fact that many - especially elderly - people still prefer to calculate things back to pesetas, and if you consider pesetas, two cents are equal to over three pesetas, which, although being equally worthless, is something that you can get your head around. (It is not uncommon elsewhere to give a peseta amount if you want to stress the size of an amount). George Adam Horváth (talk) 10:41, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Luxembourg

On this article it says that Luxembourg do not have any banknote printing facilities but on the ECB's offical website it shows figures for banknotes they have apparently printed. Does anyone know which one is right. Do they or don't they have printing facilities? The ECB page I am referring to is http://www.ecb.int/bc/faqbc/figures/html/index.en.html#banknotes

Note that the column showing Luxembourg in that document is headed "NCBs (National Central Banks) commissioning banknotes", that is, ordering them to be produced - it does not follow that they produce them themselves. You would have to check the printing code on the front of one of the "Luxembourg" notes to determine where it was actually printed. -- Arwel 17:05, 7 Apr 2005 (UTC)

To further clarify this issue, have a look at this Bank of Luxembourg web page: http://www.bcl.lu/en/publications/rapports_annuels/AR_1999/ - section 6 of that document states that the BCL has commissioned two specialist printers for euro notes to be put into circulation as of 1 January 2002: "Joh. Enschedé en Zonen" in the Netherlands and "Bundesdruckerei" in Germany. A similar thing happened in 2002 when BCL commissioned Setec to print 100e notes, see the BCL annual report for 2002 section 2.4. There are no euronotes printed in Luxembourg, they just had to make sure that a certain amount of notes was printed somewhere. -- Avij 01:05, 15 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Magnetic Ink

Hope this doesn't sound stupid, but what exactly is magnetic ink, and what does it do? - Gerbon689 12:40, 17 Apr 2005 (UTC)

I believe it is just as it sounds: Ink with magnetic properties (probably due to the ink containing tiny magnetic particles). Thus the note printed with genuine ink can be detected with a simple magnetic detector. Seabhcán 16:18, 26 July 2005 (UTC)

Actually the way I phrased that question was stupid. It was just more, "what does it do" but thanks. - Gerbon

[edit] Euro and Bulgaria

Euro banknotes must bear the name "Eur"o in all the official languages of the EU. Therefore, once Bulgaria joins the EU, banknotes will have to be redesigned, not later when the country joins the eurozone.

That was the case of Greece: they didn't join the euro in 1999 but notes already showed "euro" in latin and greek scripts( EYPO "evro").

it was foreseeable in 1998 that Greece will join the euro, so the Greek name had to be put on the notes. The new series of euro notes will come at the end of the decade, not in 2007 when Bulgaria joins, but probably before Bulgaria has the euro.

Thewikipedian May 7th, 2005 20:44 UTC+1

Could anyone post what "euro" in Cyrllic would look like? LeoO3 16:08, 28 May 2005 (UTC)

Assuming it's pronounced "evro", it would be "EBPO". -- Arwel 16:48, 28 May 2005 (UTC)

What if it's pronounced "euro"? LeoO3 19:31, 1 Jun 2005 (UTC)

In Russian it's pronounced 'YeVro', Bulgarian is very probably the same, It is writen 'Е B Р О'. If it were pronounced 'euro' it would look like 'Ю Р О' (but this might not appear correctly on your broswer.) Seabhcán 16:33, 26 July 2005 (UTC)

A quick look at a couple of Bulgarian websites confirms it is "EBPO" (pronounced "evro" - Bulgarian "E" doesn't have an initial "y" sound as in Russian.) Vilcxjo 23:42, 31 July 2005 (UTC)

Thing is, Bulgaria is most likely going to join the euro very soon after it joins the EU, due to their very strict monetary policy. 2009 is very likely (if it joined the ERMII on the day it'll join the EU). ナイトスタリオンㇳ–ㇰ 15:10, 5 August 2005 (UTC)

There is no "inter-Cyrillic" spelling for Euro, as there is an "inter-Roman", that's pronounced differently in different countries? Would be more practical. 惑乱分からん 19:34, 29 January 2006 (UTC)

OK, checking out the different cyrillic Slavic Wikipedia. The spelling EBPO or Eвро seems to be the most common, even in Russian, which should give an overall indication. I couldn't find the Belarussian spelling, but I suspect it's similar to the others. Only Ukrainian uses Євро, but Ukraine isn't expected to join the Eurozone anytime soon, anyway. =S 惑乱分からん 17:33, 30 January 2006 (UTC)

Dear all, it is wrong to assume that Bulgaria's accession to the EU will have any effect on Euro notes. Joining the EU does not mean automatic adoption of the EURO as a currency. Please check your sources. It will take several years to Bulgaria to be ready.

Well, actually, joining the EU would mean an obligatory adoption of the Euro, as long as the convergence criteria is fulfilled, with economical sanctions by EU for intentionally ignoring them. Bulgaria is apparently aiming to get the Euro in only about 2-3 years, and in the future Serbia, Macedonia, and Belarus might possibly join the Eurozone. 惑乱分からん * \)/ (\ (< \) (2 /) /)/ * 13:24, 23 March 2007 (UTC)

Dear All, Recently I made an inquiry to the ECB about a possible re-design/update of the euro banknotes. Although they were not willing to disclose further information, they did confirm that the euro banknotes will bear the cyrillic spelling, as well as more three-letter abbreviations of the ECB in other languages, since for example Hungary's EKB is currently absent. As far as I know, the next update of the euro is due to begin in 2009, and as far as I know it will now include the proper spelling for all EU member states - save for Latvia and Hungary, see Const. treaty, Declaration by Hungary and Latvia on the spelling of euro. It is common practice for issuing bodies to alter, modify and update the basic bank note design every 7 years. This is because of wear-and-tear, and also because of forgeries. Wear-and-tear is a serious problem with the euro, bank notes with a high rate of rotation (ie. 5, 10 and 20€) hardly live up to more than a year. So the new notes will be phased in whilst the old ones will be phased out. I believe some facts need to be corrected. After the Treaty of Nice all acceeding countries must agree to adopt the euro. All 12 new members have agreed to that. The principle is that at the time of accession a country MUST accept and ratify every agreement. This is why, for example, Bulgaria and Romania HAD to ratify the Constitutional Treaty upon accession. The presumption is that eventually ALL EU members will have the euro as their currency. Yes, even Denmark, Sweden and the UK. But this also means that the ECB as an authority must provide all the required aspects of the cash currency in terms of languages and design. Thus it makes sense to include ALL the official spellings of the euro on the euro notes, regardless of when a country is actually ready to adopt the euro. Regards, George Adam Horváth 06:53, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

Hmmm, UK and Denmark currently could withhold an opt-out clause, meaning Euro adoption is optional. Sweden has chosen not to peg their currency to the Euro, thus deliberately choosing not to fulfill the criteria for adoption. This move is currently tolerated by the ECB, but similar moves will probably not be tolerated for newer EU members. 惑乱分からん * \)/ (\ (< \) (2 /) /)/ * 18:02, 28 April 2007 (UTC)

"...but similar moves will probably not be tolerated for newer EU members." Absolutely correct, they will NOT, because only Denmark and the UK managed to get out of the common currency, the rest were not given the option at all. In laymen's terms, from the 2004 accessions onwards: you either adopt the euro, or you don't get into the EU.George Adam Horváth (talk) 10:47, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Euro banknote serial codes

Are the number parts of the Euro banknote serial codes unique across banks, or do they repeat in different banks? If they are unique, which part of the number span is dedicated to which bank? — JIP | Talk 13:30, 25 August 2005 (UTC)

No, they're not unique, there can be notes which have the same number part but have a different serial number letter (L through Z). However, the serial number checksum algorithm limits the number of possible collisions, because the serial number letter is included when calculating the checksum. Let's take serial number U08217383936 as an example. If you try to change U (France) to Z (Belgium) you'll end up with an invalid serial number. In fact, the only possibility in this case besides U is L (Finland). -- Avij 01:29, 15 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] RFID Chips in Euro Notes

It seems there may indeed be RFID chips in Euro notes. there is more info on this here:

info here

pictures here

first link: a prewiew of the possible future, but I guess improbable.

second link: an old hoax. Metal strips explode when microwaved, regardless whether they have rfids in them or not. --androl 18:52, 1 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] EU territories depicted

From the article: "The following member overseas territories are shown: the Azores, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Madeira, Martinique, Réunion, and the Canary Islands."

Looking at the map depicted on the back (I've never seen an actual bill yet), I can see the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands (plus, of course, the rest of Europe that currently isn't in the Eurozone and the fact that Cyprus isn't shown), but none of the French territories (especially French Guiana, being larger) - am I missing something? Where does it show the French overseas territories? --Canuckguy 17:52, 5 November 2005 (UTC)

In the lower left part, in little boxes besides the semi-European islands.

ナイトスタリオン ✉ 22:33, 5 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] 'Specimen'

Can't we get pictures of the notes without a giant 'specimen' stamped over them? +Hexagon1 (talk) 09:32, 16 March 2006 (UTC)

No, its illegal. Have you ever tried to scan money? See EURion constellation. Seabhcán 10:30, 16 March 2006 (UTC)

Well can we make it less pronounced (along the lines of this?) And yeah, I've scanned money before, Photoshop only restricts the printing there of, not saving (CS2) +Hexagon1 (talk) 13:05, 16 March 2006 (UTC)

Hexagon, the ECB has set very clear guidelines to the reproduction of the euro banknotes. One element of those guidelines is that scans or samples must bear the word specimen, to inhibit reproduction. Further information is available on the ECB's portal. In fact, the images you see on the page are provided by the ECB itself. Regards, George Adam Horváth 06:58, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Why do the banknotes look different in brochures?

One thing I've never understood. Why do the banknote images printed in brochures, posters and other information sheets look different from what the banknotes really are? I'm referring to the hologram stripe/square, which is present on the actual banknotes but absent from the brochures. Instead there's an elaborate engraved image whose shape varies between the different valued notes. This article, and the ECB webpage, shows the banknotes as they really are, but nothing else seems to. JIP | Talk 15:12, 17 March 2006 (UTC)

I think many companies continue to use the promotional images which were issued before it was introduced in cash. I assume this is because, as far as I know, as these images are not actual depictions, they don't have to carry "SPECIMEN" on them. - ^Red _Hot 18:10, 30 May 2006 (UTC)

No accurate banknote images were shown to the public until the very last days before introducing the Euro. The brochures supposed to show the design of the banknotes, so the public could get familiar with it. They did not show any of the security features, probably to avoid to give a chance for criminals to get prepared for counterfeiting.--Timur lenk 16:27, 15 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Slovenia

Does anyone know what Slovenia's banknote code will be? Or if it has even been assigned. - ^Red _Hot 18:10, 30 May 2006 (UTC)

Never mind. It hasn't. - ^Red _Hot 12:09, 31 May 2006 (UTC)

Slovenia will not print banknotes from the current series. And the next series (starting 2008) will probably have 2-digit ISO codes, SI for Slovenia. --androl 18:54, 1 June 2006 (UTC)

I know. I posted "Never mind. It hasn't." because I e-mailed the ECB about it - they said they're not sure what they're gonna do yet, but gave me the impression they would still have banknotes from this series (there are several empty spaces they could use in the mean time anyway) - ^Рэд _хот 09:40, 2 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Deleting old banknotes

Shouldn't the old images of the banknotes (freely available in their history) be deleted by an admin, as they are the same as the present, but don't have "SPECIMEN" as required? - ^Red _Hot 18:17, 30 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Scrambled indica®

One can find some security features on this website, which are not "advertised" for the public by the ECB, amongst others, the EURion. I assume there must be many more, which are only supposed to be known by certain people, e.g. bank employees. Here is one: the Scrambled indica® optical security feature, which is the patent of the Graphic Security Systems Corporation (GSSC). I've discovered it on Ron Wise's World Paper Money website:

100 EEK note

The year 1995 is indicated on the optical decoder, and the demonstrated 100 EEK banknote was issued in 1999, so it is very likely that this security feature is incorporated in the more widely used EURO banknotes. Do any of you have info about it?

Do any of you know about other "secret" security features?

Timur lenk

[edit] Bar codes in the note

The article states that "when held up to the light, metallic bars can be seen to the right of the watermark". Can somebody verify the bars are metallic? I have never seen translucent metals, and I believe whoever wrote this is confusing thicker paper with metal foils. Furthermore, I've done a random check with the bar codes, and I have found the code for the 50 euro note (0110 1010) to be wrong. I checked with a 100 euro note, and it works there. The code for the 50 euro note in the article, appears to be the real code found on the notes mirrored horizontally, which on the note is 0101 0110. Could somebody please verify this? Regards, George Adam Horváth 07:14, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Architecture

The architectural examples depicted on the banknotes are not supposed to be identifiable as specific places, but I remember reading that, when the draft banknote designs were published, the examples were identified and some even turned out not to be from Europe. I assume that they were altered for the finalised banknote designs. Does anyone have more information about this?--GagHalfrunt 19:37, 20 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] euro: series 2

In a recent inquiry I made to the ECB, I was told that "The current plan is to introduce the first denomination of the second series as of 1 January 2011 and the second denomination one year thereafter." I would like the article to cite something like this, but I cannot find this in any other reasonable source, but the e-mail I got from the information department. Could somebody please help? George Adam Horváth (talk) 10:28, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Special features for people with impaired sight

Although there have been other currencies pre-dating the euro that were specifically designed in similar ways (different sizes, colours, and ridges) to aid the visually impaired, the introduction of the euro constitutes the first time that authorities have consulted associations representing the blind before, rather than after, the release of the currency.

Is there a citation for this? The Reserve Bank of Australia claims to have consulted "consulted with a number of representative groups while plans for the new series of polymer notes were being developed." Zipzipzip (talk) 19:44, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Added a 'fact' tag, as I'm pretty sure this is nonsence. The old Dutch guilder bank notes had specific markings for the blind (raised dots on the older ones, geometric figures on the new ones), and I really doubt the designer just though of something just hoping it would be useful for the blind. Jalwikip (talk) 12:07, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] 'removed annoying fair use stuff', now the bot removed the images

Jalwikip: I dont't think this was the right action to take - someone (the uploader? an admin?) should place the appropriate fair use statement on the images and restore them. 84.132.51.121 (talk) 09:04, 30 May 2008 (UTC)