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On 1 January 2002, the euro banknotes and coins were introduced in
12 Member States of the European Union, with seven different
banknotes and eight coins.
The arrival of the euro, however, means much more than exchanging
one currency for another. It involves individuals and businesses not
only in the countries that have joined the single currency, but all
over the world.
It is in all our best interests to familiarise ourselves with the
look and feel of the euro banknotes and coins.
The new coins – 50 billion of them – have one side common to all 12
countries and a reverse side specific to each country, while the
14.5 billion banknotes look the same throughout the euro area.
Altogether, the banknotes and coins produced total over €664 billion.
So, whether you are in Europe or elsewhere in the world, why not
take a journey with us to discover how the euro evolved?
Find out what it looks like, who designed it, how it is protected
against counterfeiting and how to check that it is genuine by
clicking on the appropriate link on the left of the page. |
