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Introduction
 
Euro banknotes and coins
expand_tr2.gif (859 bytes) Preparation of euro banknotes
Euro banknotes
Euro coins
Euro symbol design
Banknote and coin design
 
Background to the Euro
 
Impacts of EMU on non participant countries and their banks
 
The international development of Euro
 
Related Links :
www.ecb.int
www.bankofgreece.gr
www.flash.gr
www.bankofengland.co.uk

Preparation of euro banknotes

    
    The euro bank notes were not expected to be available for circulation until the end of 2001, since production could not start until the Governing Council of the ECB had endorsed the design recommended by the EMI. It had been agreed that there would be seven bank note denominations:
euro 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. (Separately the Mint Directors had decided there would be euro coins with denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 50 cents and 1 and 2 euros.) Initially the options of either completely identical notes, or notes with a limited national feature on one side of each denomination, remained open (it had been decided that all coins would have one common side and one national side). It was also agreed (in consultation with the European Blind Union), that the note sizes would be as follows (length x height):

    euro 5 120mm x 62mrn euro 100 147mrn x 82mm

    euro 10 127mm x 67mrn euro 200 153mrn x 82mm

    euro 20 133mm x 72mm euro 500 160mm x 82mm

    euro 50 140mm x 77mm

    In addition, it was decided that the euro 200 and 500 notes would be provided with features to enable tactile differentiation between them and also the euro 100 note, given that all three will be of the same height.
    A design competition was launched using two themes - 'ages and styles of Europe' and a modem/abstract design. Up to three banknote designers were nominated by EU central banks in each Member State to participate in the competition. Following the design phase, the focus shifted to preparation of the dies and plates necessary for the production process, where again ECB decisions were required.
     A recommendation on the method of banknote production, and in particular the extent of any pooling of production, was not made until mid- 1997; it was informed by the results of an exercise to test the differences in appearance of banknotes produced on different paper and at different printing works. But it was already agreed that all printing works within the euro area (whether in private or public ownership) which at that time produced banknotes for the relevant countries would continue to be involved.