With an official ceremony held in Frankfurt, the European Central Bank unveiled the new 50 euro banknote, which will come into circulation from 4 April 2017.
After the new 5, 10 and 20 euro banknotes, the ECB inaugurates the renewed 50 denomination, taking a further step along the path undertaken years ago to make Eurozone banknotes safer.
The 50 euro banknote is the most widely used in Europe, accounting for around 45% of all banknotes in circulation. The one unveiled today will be the fourth in the Europa series, which is slowly replacing the first cuts in force since the inception of the single currency.
“The introduction of the new 50 euro banknote will make our currency even more secure” – commented Yves Mersch, member of the Executive Committee of the ECB -. “Its state-of-the-art security features help protect our currency. They are the result of our ongoing commitment to preserving the stability of the euro, a currency used daily by 338 million people across the euro area. The gradual introduction of new euro banknotes with new and advanced features also underlines the Eurosystem's commitment to cash as a reliable and efficient means of payment.”
As for the design, on the new 50 euro banknotes there will be a window with a portrait “a new and innovative element used for the first time on the 20 euro banknote from the 'Europa' series. Against the light, on both sides, it will be possible to see the portrait of Europa, a figure from Greek mythology. The portrait also appears in the watermark. On the front will be 'emerald number', which will change color to dark blue and produce the effect of a vertically moving light. A feature introduced for security reasons that will make it easier to check the authenticity of the new ticket.
