Buzz
The Euro serves as the official currency for approximately 340 million individuals across nineteen European nations, with roughly thirteen billion paper notes in circulation. Consequently, counterfeiting remains a persistent issue with Euros. By familiarizing yourself with the distinctive features of each Euro denomination and understanding how to verify the advanced security features embedded within each bill, you can effectively identify the majority of counterfeit Euros.
Steps
Noticing Key Characteristics
Identify appropriate designs and hues. Note that Euro banknotes are available only in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500. Thus, if presented with a €15 note, reject it immediately. Each legitimate Euro denomination also adheres to a standard color scheme and image style.
- Euros showcase distinct architectural imagery representing various periods of European history. The obverse side of each bill displays a window, door, or gate motif, while the reverse side features a bridge alongside a map of Europe.
- Five Euro bills exhibit Classical architecture and predominantly feature gray hues.
- Ten Euro bills showcase Romanesque architecture and predominantly appear in red hues.
- Twenty Euro bills depict Gothic architecture and predominantly display blue hues.
- Fifty Euro bills portray Renaissance architecture and predominantly feature orange hues.
- One-hundred Euro bills highlight Baroque / Rococo architecture and predominantly exhibit green hues.
- Two-hundred Euro bills present iron and glass architecture and predominantly show yellow-brown hues.
- Five-hundred Euro bills represent Modern architecture and predominantly feature purple hues.
Assess the dimensions of the bills. Unlike U.S. currency, Euro bills vary in size. This not only complicates counterfeiting but also aids the visually impaired.
- €5 = 120 x 62 mm
- €10 = 127 x 67 mm
- €20 = 133 x 72 mm
- €50 = 140 x 77 mm
- €100 = 147 x 82 mm
- €200 = 153 x 82 mm
- €500 = 160 x 82 mm
Feel the unique texture of the paper. Euro banknotes are crafted from 100% cotton fiber, enhancing their durability and imparting a distinct texture. Genuine Euros should feel crisp and firm, with the print exhibiting a raised texture in areas of thicker ink application.
- Fraudulent Euros often feel limp and waxy, lacking the characteristic raised texture.
- Despite wear, experienced handlers can typically discern genuine bills from fake ones.
Be mindful of the Europa Series. The European Central Bank has introduced the Europa Series, featuring significant security upgrades, including imagery of the mythological figure Europa.
- These banknotes feature a watermark portrait of Europa, visible when held against light.
- They also incorporate a holographic image of Europa within the silver security stripe, visible upon tilting the bill.
Verifying Security Measures
Check for the watermark. All Euro banknotes include a watermark visible when held against light, replicating an architectural motif from the bill. The watermark is situated on the left side of the front of each bill.
- Authentic Euros feature a watermark created by paper thickness variations, resulting in a clear image with smooth light-dark transitions when held against light.
- Counterfeit Euros typically feature a printed watermark, exhibiting less clarity and often sharp light-dark transitions when held against light.
Examine the hologram. All Euros are equipped with a hologram image, appearing as either a vertical stripe or rectangle on the right side of the bill's front. Tilting the bill reveals changes in the hologram's image.
- Authentic Euros exhibit clear changes in the hologram when tilted, with variations based on denomination and series.
- Fake Euros typically lack a genuine hologram, resulting in a static image when tilted.
Analyze the security thread. Each Euro denomination contains a security thread, visible as a vertical stripe in the center-left section of the bill's front. This thread is embedded within the bill, not printed on it.
- On genuine Euros, the security stripe appears as a dark line when held up to light, featuring micro-printing of the denomination and 'EURO' (or '€' in the newer series).
- Fake Euros often display a printed grayish-black line as the security stripe, lacking clarity and micro-printing.
Verify color changes. Euros utilize color-shifting elements that change when tilted, visible in the numeral value on the back right. However, this feature is only present in denominations of fifty Euros and higher.
- Authentic Euros display a shift in color from purple to green or brown in the numeral value when tilted.
- Most counterfeit Euros lack this color-shifting effect, with the numeral remaining purple when tilted.
Inspect micro-printing. Micro-printing, invisible to the naked eye but visible under magnification, is used in Euro bills and poses a challenge for counterfeiters.
- Legitimate Euros feature micro-printing that appears as thin lines, revealing clear print under magnification, often repeating the bill's denomination.
- Counterfeit Euros typically exhibit blurry or non-existent micro-printing, requiring a magnifying glass for detection.
Reveal ultraviolet and infrared properties. Illuminating Euros with UV or infrared light exposes additional security features beyond those visible in standard light.
- Genuine Euros do not glow under UV light but emit colored fibers that vary by denomination. Under infrared light, only the far right side of the bill's printing remains visible.
- Fake Euros emit a bright glow under UV light, revealing fake watermarks and security threads. Under infrared light, text and images may be completely visible or invisible.
