New euro banknotes

[kerouac2]

After 20 years of bridges and architectural details, the EU is planning to issue new banknotes in 2024.  This is going to take a lot of negotiations and debates since different countries have different icons  And that's why the first banknotes made a point  of having "anonymous" images.

This time it seems that they are leaning to famous Europeans, but that's sure to be difficult with the current woke trend.  And of course there is no chance that any country would get more than one figurehead.  For example, Italy might have to decide between Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo.  The Netherlands might suggest Erasmus, the 16th century Dutch philosopher who gave his name to the EU university exchange programme.  Belgium, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Austria also have major figures that they could suggest.  France is thinking along more modern lines at the moment -- Simone Veil, Holocaust survivor and first woman to be president of the European Parliament.

But there will only be six faces on the banknotes (5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200) and lots of countries are sure to be disappointed.  I can easily imagine a token small country being selected, which might set off the other small countries.  It is basically a diplomatic nightmare.

So I won't be surprised at all if they fall back on an abstract theme to reduce controversy.  But what?

[tod2]

Kerouac I can think of a solution. Just stick to nature in the form of trees, flowers, plants, or even the national bird of the country picked.

[kerouac2]

That still requires 27 countries needing to agree on only 6 images.

[questa]

What are your banknotes made from? Oz started making vinyl notes and these were considered better than paper so now we make the notes for many countries.

[kerouac2]

We are not using plastic banknotes yet. I personally like them but not enough people do. The first place I ever saw them was in Thailand, but I've been to a number of countries that use them since then.

The problem with the euro is that all of the big countries print their own, dating from from the time when they had different currencies (Austria, Italy, Ireland, France, Spain, Greece, Belgium, Portugal). A lot of the smaller countries were using De La Rue in England, but one of the rules is that banknotes can only be printed in the EU, even in countries that don't use the euro, but the UK no longer qualifies. About the only other thing I know is that the paper of the banknotes is actually 100% cotton.

The question is going to be how quickly physical currency will be phased out completely. I don't think it will be as fast as the tech fanatics had predicted since even Sweden had to scale back some of its plans, but there will definitely be less and less cash.

[bjd]

If plastic is such a pollution problem, then it's not a good idea to start making plastic backnotes. I have seen them in Canada but don't like them much.

[kerouac2]

I don't think that plastic banknotes are abandoned in nature as much as other crappy plastic.

[bjd]

Jan 22, 2022 17:58:52 GMT kerouac2 said:

I don't think that plastic banknotes are abandoned in nature as much as other crappy plastic.

Of course not, but now we read how so many synthetic clothes, for example, produce microparticles when they are worn or washed. Using banknotes, pulling them in and out of wallets or pockets might also produce little particles.

[questa]

I like them better than the old 'paper' ones. They are almost indestructible...don't try to iron or heat them though! They don't fold as easily as the paper/cloth ones, they try to spring back and you find yourself with an empty 'notes' section in your wallet, and banknotes fluttering at your feet.

Of course security is the main issue and they have incorporated about 12 checkpoints (that they have told us)and with the see-through panels make it unbreakable.

bjd They are a special vinyl, not plastic. You can wash them with mild detergent and dry room temperature.

[whatagain]

For ince we could side with the Dutch and go with Erasmus.
He lived in Brussel - his house can still be visited, a gem.
We also have hospitals named Erasme (one close to my office).

I would add that i have no idea what pic is on the 200 note, that i thought would be abandoned, like the 500.

[kerouac2]

I think I have used a 200 euro note twice in the last twenty years and I even used a 500 euro note once. (Why did I have it? because I sold some gold, and that is what the guy gave me. I got change for it in a casino, where of course they didn't bat an eye.)