Currency Today : Azerbaijan 9

On this final post on Azerbaijani banknotes, I would like to point at some similarities with the euro currencey.

First of all is the symbol for the manat currency:
₼ is the symbol, derived from the Azerbaijan 'm'. The designer of the banknotes of Azerbaijan, happens to be mr. Robert Kalina, who also designed the euro banknotes...
₼ and € do have a similar appearance, in my -humble- opinion.

100 manat detail sidewise

Secondly, all euro note from the second series, have lines (slashes) in their margins.
So do the manat notes (new design) have...
The difference is that manat notes have 'slashes' and euro notes have 'back slashes'

Azerbaijan manat notes vs euro notes

Another 'coincidence' is the European map on all 'old style' notes of Azerbaijan.
Of course, the map is supposed to be the same in all countries, but the map simply does not appear on other countries' notes...

Euro note vs Azerbaijan note

That is all about the Azarbaijani banknotes.

Euro Promotion Notes 1998

After many years of cooperation on economical, cultural and legislational matters, the end of the 20th century meant the introduction of a new currency in the mayor parts of the European area.
In 1999 euro was officially introduced as a new currency, but it lasted till 2002 until the coins and banknotes were actually put in circulation.

As a way to say 'goodbye' to the old national currencies, and a 'welcome' to the new  notes, a lot of promotion was made. Informational posters with explanation on the new currency, as well as toy money for the kids to practise.

France issued some specimen notes, using the same sizes and colours as the the soon-to-be notes.
In a set of 8 notes, the mayor countries that started using the euro, were presented.

promotional material for the EURO currency

5-euro:
On the 5-euro, all (last) Italian notes in lira are shown

5 euro detail (Italy)

10-euro:
Here we see all Portugese notes in escudos

10 euro detail (Portugal)

The 20-euro note depicts the last issue of the Spanish peseta notes

20 euro detail (Spain)

50-euro:
For the next note, all of the last Dutch guilder notes were chosen

50 euro detail (The Netherlands)

100-euro:
Here we find the last notes issued in Belgian francs

100 euro detail (Belgium)

200-euro:
On the second highest denomination, we find all notes in German marks

200 euro detail (Germany)

500-euro:
Finally, we see the last notes in French francs

500 euro detail (France)

On the reverse side of the 'notes', we see all 12 flags of the intitial countries, forming the European monetary union (as well as two European flags with the Euro-sign.

reverse side of the promotional notes

detail of the reverse side of the 'notes'

Althoug this is (was) promotional material, these notes are offered on various vending sites, and prices vary from 1 - 2 USD / EURO per note.
For a full set, about 10 $ / € is asked.

0-euro notes : 0 d. Introduction

Some extra remarks on the serial numbers:

Austria has Euro notes starting with N. The 0-euro notes therefore also start with NE.
In 2017 a 0-euro note was emitted with XELH.... X is the letter for Germany

From 2018 on, new notes get a serial number with a logic sequence, for example Finand: L(E)...
Notes start with LE AA, LE AB, LE AC, ...
I's and O's are not used to avoid confusion with 1's and 0's, so it goes from LE AH to LE AJ and from LE AN to LE AP.
This is often the case, for example Mexican  notes don't have I's and O's in serial numbers either.

Before 2018, Seral numbers start with rather random codes (Finland 2017 : LE PZ...)

Most notes were printed on 5,000 or 10,000 copies.
In few exceptions, there are less, sometimes there are 20,000 30,000 or even 35,000 copies.
If a design is reprinted, the date will show 2019 - 2 (second printing).
Some French notes were reprinted 6 times so far.

In some cases the numbering adds up, despites the fact that the design is not the same.
One example is a set of notes issued by the Zoo of Duisburg (Germany).
The title of each note is : ZOO DUISBURG, therfore the numbering adds up (since the depicted theme remains the same), on the note however, we see different animals on the different notes in the set.

Zoo Duisbrug 2017 - 3

Zoo Duisbrug 2017 - 4

Zoo Duisburg 2017 - 5

Another remark goes for some special sets, like the set that was issued for the Wold Soccer championship in 2018.
Several counties which participated at the Soccer Worl Cup, issued a 0-euro note.
In the titel we see the country name (so each note has a different 'title)' and a different image of a player and a typical artefact from the home country.
The code next to the flag adds up :

2018 - 7 - DK

2018 - 8 - JP

2018 - 31 - TN

This is a special edition of the 0-euro note.

To be complete, some notes were also issued on polymere paper.
These are issued in different amounts (2017 copies) and all have a serial number starting with UE ...CO... regardless the country.

Polymere note : marked 'collector 2017'

serial numbers UE ... CO ......

And finally, some blank or perforated notes exist too.
These notes are issued with 'specimen' as perforation, and don't bare an image at the front side.

To be continued...

0-euro notes : 0 c. Introduction

As last part of my 'introduction' to 0-euro notes, I can show you the 2018 catalog of those notes.

The 1st edition of the catalogue was issued in 2018, and has over 400 pages in colour.
Each note has a description of what is depicted, serial number and issue number is mentioned, and explained.

The catalogue 'value' of each note is an indication of the rarity and the demand on the market for each note.
A 2019 issue of a Turkish 0-euro note with the image of Kemal Attatürk and his mausoleum, was sold out so fast, that prices reach up to € 60 - € 70 per copy!
Luckily, most notes are available for € 3 / € 4 / € 5 each (3.5 - 5.5 USD)

A list of 0-euro issuing countries (situation end 2019) :

to be continued...

0-euro notes : 0 b. Introduction

Similar to Euro coins, each 0-euro note has a common size, which is common for all notes:

On the 2015 (first) notes, only French buildings were depicted, as only French subject were on the front of each note.

2015 version (French buildings only)

Here we find also the Eiffel tower ....
Pont du Gard (close to Nîmes, Uzès and Avignon) - oldest bridge of France (1st century A.D.)
Mont Saint Michel (Bretagne)
Cathedral of Reims (Reims)

In 2016, the notes were issued in other countries and the design became 'European'

2016 version (European buildings)

It depicts several famous European buildings - how many of them can you recognise and where are they located?

Big Ben (London - United Kingdom)
Brandenbruger Tor (Berlin - Germany)
Collosseum (Rome - Italy)
Eiffel Tower (Paris - France)
Sagrada Familia (Barcelona - Spain)
Manneke Pis statue (Brussels - Belgium)
Mona Lisa (Italy / Louvre Paris France)

Finally in 2017 - because of the Brexit, the design was renewed, and the Big Ben was replaced by another monument ...
Belém Tower (Lissabon - Portugal)

2017 and later version (European buildings)

Besides the 3 different designs at the back of the notes (design A, B and C)
There is also a small difference on the front of the designs :

Design A has extra marks on the border of the note.The notes have a minimum issue of 5,000 copies each, but mostly printed in 10,000 copies.

Some subject were/are so popular, that the topics are reprinted the next year.
On the front of the notes, we find the year of issue, followed by the number of the issue.
Same designs that are repeated, get a '2' or '3' (or higher) behind the year.
A '1' means there is only one version, or this note is the first issued version.

2017 issue - version 1

2018 issue - version 2

2017 issue - version 3

The 0-Euro note of Napoléon I, exists in 3 printings, with 3 different reverse sides.

On the front, the topics started with historical building, famous events or people, but was soon commerialised, and theme parks, cultural heritage, rulers, and even private events were chosen.
You can have your own notes printed, but there is a minimum of 5,000 copies, which will cost you between 5,000 and 10,000 euro (design not included)...
In return you'll get your own 'banknotes', worth at least ... 0 Euro.

to be continued ...

0-euro notes : 0 a. Introduction

Although postal services do their utmost to innovate and deliver high quality stamps (with lots of extra's), snail mail is not that cool anymore.
Stamp collecting - unfortunately - isn't florishing among youngsters and starting up a collection is not easy. Year sets nowadays cost a fortune, and only the patient ones (or the rich) can afford a complete collection.

Banknotes and coins are as interesting to collect, but with electronic payment methods, even  'cash money' is dissapearing from daily life. When Europe switched to Euro-currency, all national currencies dissapeared and along with it, also the wide variety in banknotes and coins.
Luckily the 2-euro coins opened a new range of collecting possibilities;

Since 2015 a new collectors' item has seen daylight.

What started as a way to promote touristic locations in France, soon became a new way to attract collectors and touristic sites. The 0-euro banknote was born.
Face value is ... 0, a piece of paper that promotes a touristic site or event, such as the Eiffel tower, the Pisa tower, the Sagrada Familia ....

These collective notes with themes from all over Europe are often made in a limited edition (5.000 or 10.000). The notes are printed at the official Euro bank note printers and contain all the usual elements and security features of the euro notes.
The designer of the original Euro notes is also the man behind the 0-euro notes, the Austrian designer Robert Kalina.

Robert Kalina - picture ECB

Every year, new sites are added, new countries are joining, and even previous issues are being re-issued.
Before I go deeper into some specific notes, a small overview of returning items on each note.

Nearly each note has a European flag in the design.
Those notes are printed in Europe (even those from China, Canada, USA ...)

0 euro note France

0 euro note Vatican city

0 euro note USA

 One exception ... the 0-euro notes printed in Switzerland have a Swiss flag.

Since the notes are printed by the official banknote printers, they bare the same serial number system as the euro notes.
see my previous post : https://rainbowstampsandcoins.blogspot.com/2012/08/banknotes-security-marks-2b-part-2.html

U : France

S : Italy (here Vatican City)

For countries outside the Euro-zone, another land code is used :

Swiss serial number (CH ...)

Chinese serial number (CN ...)

Peru serial number (PR ...)

to be continued...

Currency today : the Netherlands 02

In several European countries, recently princes have enherited the thrones of their fathers.
Moneywise, lost of coins therefore, have new designs, with the new monarch depicted.

In The Netherlands, Queen Beatrix has abdicated in favour of her son King Willem-Alexander.
As I wrote earlier, when a king/queen is depicted facing the left, his ancestor and his successor will be depicted facing the left.
see : http://rainbowstampsandcoins.blogspot.com/2013/03/currency-today-netherlands-01_6734.html

Queen Beatrix appears on all coins looking to the left, so King Willem-Alexander is looking the opposite way.

The first new coin that was issued, is the regular circulation coin.

On the left we see Queen Beatrix, facing the left, on the right, King Willem-Alexander is facing right.
The design of the king's head is also a more modern design.

Queen Beatrix (left) - King Willem-Alexander (right)

Two commemorative coins were also emitted, both with the two monarchs.
On the left coin, (the Beatrix-coin) we see the Queen in the front (facing left as usual) en behind her
the former prince Willem-Alexander.

The second coin (thed Willem-Alexander-coin), shows King Willem-Alexander in the front (facing right as usual) en behind him, former Queen, now Princess Beatrix.

Queen Beatrix (left) - King Willem-Alexander (right)

It's a nice tribute to the countrywide respected Queen Beatrix, and a nice way to express the change of power in the Netherlands.

Banknotes : Security marks 3b

On the back side of the new 5 euro notes, we find some new items:

We see a new type of serial number with two letters and 10 numbers (in stead of 1 letter and 11 numbers).

old (top) and new (bottom) 5 euro note

Belgian serial numbers (check code 9) jump 9 numbers each time

For the first time, we see a part of the searial number is repeated on the note.
The last 6 digits of the serial number are reprinted vertically on the note.

part of the serial number is repeated on the note

Since the European Union is expanding, new countries and languages are introduced.
Bulgaria is using the cyrillic alphabet, and therefore, "EBPO" (the bulgarian way to say EURO) is added on the notes.

3 ways to write "Euro"

A security feature that was used in the first series, and that is repeated in this set, is a gold print on the back of the note.
The number 5 and the Euro symbol (€) is visible when you hold the note on it's side.

 5 € 5 € 5 €

The other banknotes will be renewed in the future too...