For the first time in its 11-year history, the euro is getting a new look. Besides the redesign, which will offer a nod to new EU member nations, the European Central Bank will incorporate additional security features into the banknotes.
A €5 note will debut on May 2, followed in the next few years by €10, €20, €50, €100, €200 and €500 denominations. All will boast the new security features, the majority of which will not be made public for obvious reasons, said an article at Securing Industry.
The article quoted a statement from the central bank saying that the new banknotes "are easy to check using the 'feel, look and tilt' method." A new anti-counterfeiting technology, the "emerald number," changes color from emerald green to deep blue, depending on the orientation of the note. The number also changes appearance in response to light.
Counterfeiting of the euro has waned in recent years; in the second half of 2012, the number of fake notes pulled from circulation dropped by 12 percent compared with the same period in 2011. Nevertheless, the EU decided that additional security measures were called for in order to remain a step ahead of counterfeiters.
For more on this topic, visit the security research center.
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