Euro banknotes

There are seven different euro banknotes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euro. They were designed by Robert Kalina of the Austrian National Bank. The designs depict windows, archways and bridges from seven important architectural periods inEurope’s cultural history: classical antiquity, roman, gothic, renaissance, baroque and rococo, iron and glass construction, and contemporary 20th century architecture.

The copyright on euro banknotes is owned by the European Central Bank (ECB). This implies, among other things, that the ECB sets the conditions under which reproductions of euro banknotes may be published. The general principle is that reproductions which might be confused with genuine euro notes are not allowed.

Together with the European Central Bank (ECB) and the national central banks of the other euro countries, De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) is responsible for issuing and circulating euro banknotes. New notes are designed in co-operation and then printed in several euro countries.

DNB reimburses members of the public with the face value of any damaged or mutilated euro banknotes if more than half of the original note remains, unless the notes were damaged intentionally. Banknotes of which 50% or less remains will not be reimbursed. DNB will only reimburse a note if it is proved beyond any possible doubt that the missing part of the note has been destroyed.

Public confidence in banknotes requires that notes should be regularly checked for fitness and authenticity. This is why the European Central Bank (ECB) has adopted standards which banks and other parties must meet if they are to recirculate banknotes (usually through automatic teller machines or ATMs)