One after the other, and with the times that an operation like this requires, the euro banknotes "do their trick again". Last year it was the turn of the 5 euro note, this year it was the turn of the 10, and in 2015 it will be the turn of the 20. This latest denomination – announced today by the Eurosystem, which in addition to the European Central Bank includes the issuing institutes of the 18 countries that have so far adopted the euro (they will be 19 from next January 24st with Lithuania's entry into the Eurozone) – will be presented on February 20th. And on that occasion the date on which the XNUMX euro banknote will enter circulation will be communicated: one can imagine - considering that, for the two previous denominations, between the presentation and entry into circulation four and eight months respectively - between the beginning and end of next summer.
Even the 20 euro banknote, therefore, after the entry into circulation of the two previous denominations and awaiting the "remake" of the more valuable ones (i.e. 50, 100, 200 and 500 euro), will be renewed in graphics and security features that have been introduced with this new series – underlines the communication released today by the Eurosystem – to “further improve the integrity of euro banknotes” so that they can continue to “remain one step ahead of printed ones by counterfeiters".
As regards the visual recognition of the banknotes by the more than 300 million Europeans who will use them every day, the design of the 20 banknotes, too, is underlined by the Eurosystem, "represents an evolution of the graphic elements already present in the previous series” (inspired by the theme “Epoches and Styles”) and the same designs and dominant colors. With some slight modifications such as to allow the banknotes of the second series to be easily distinguished from those of the first (which will be withdrawn from circulation in times to be communicated later and which in any case can always be exchanged for them).
This second series, designed like the previous one by Reinhold Gerstetter, an independent German draftsman chosen after a selection, however differs from the first also by the presence of the filigree representation of the head of Europa, the daughter of the Phoenician king seduced, according to a legend, by Zeus transformed into a bull, who had kidnapped her (and consequently the series is called Europa). The image was taken from a two thousand year old Greek vase found in Italy and now exhibited in the Louvre.
Also for the new €20 banknote, as in the case of the two previous denominations, the Eurosystem will already adopt support measures aimed at manufacturers and suppliers of banknote processing equipment, as well as equipment owners, even before the official presentation and devices for checking authenticity. They will be offered the opportunity to test the new banknote at the central banks of the euro countries well in advance of its entry into circulation. Before which numerous events and information initiatives will be held throughout the Eurozone. The first of these appointments is a Eurosystem seminar reserved for interested organisations, which will be held on 6 February in Rome at the Bank of Italy.
“The ECB and the central banks of the Eurosystem – said Yves Mersch, member of the Executive Board of the ECB – look forward to working closely with the manufacturers, suppliers, managers and owners of banknote processing equipment. Ultimately, they will be the ones to set up the equipment and devices for accepting the new 20 euro banknotes before they go into circulation”.
