Beethoven, Cervantes or Callas: the finalists for the design of the new euro banknotes can now be voted on
European citizens can choose between banknotes with the profile of great personalities or of birds, rivers, and seats of European institutions
BrusselsThe President of the European Central Bank (ECB), Christine Lagarde, has presented the ten finalist proposals for the new design of the euro banknotes. European citizens have until September 21 to vote for their preferred option [this is the link to take the survey] and they are expected to begin printing in the coming years, although the financial institution has not set a specific date.
There are five different design options that would feature the profile of great figures from European culture and knowledge, such as the singer Maria Callas – five euro banknotes –, the composer Ludwig van Beethoven – ten euro banknotes –, the scientist Marie Curie – twenty euro banknotes –, the writer Miguel de Cervantes – fifty euro banknotes –, the multifaceted Leonardo da Vinci – one hundred euro banknotes – and the writer Bertha von Suttner – two hundred euro banknotes. Their portraits would be accompanied by images of, for example, a bookstore, an orchestra, or a concert on the reverse.
On the other hand, there are five more design options, which would combine images of birds and natural landscapes, such as the flamingo, the stork, and, among others, the gannet. On the reverse of these banknotes, some of the most emblematic buildings of the European institutions could be seen, such as the seat of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the main seat of the European Council, that of the European Central Bank itself, the European Commission, and, among others, that of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
More difficulties for counterfeiters
The president of the financial institution also explained at the press conference that the new banknotes will include new security features, which will make life more difficult for counterfeiters and easier for businesses to check authenticity. The French leader also assured that they will be more accessible for people with vision problems and will have a lower environmental footprint, as they aim to increase their durability compared to current banknotes and will use more sustainable materials and production processes.
