The New 5 Euro Bank note-in circulation on May

Here is the new 5 euro, in
circulation as of May. Retailers having cash authentication machines should
start to prepare and upgrade their machines to be able to accept the new
banknotes. The European currency is renewed. As of next May 1st
the new € 5 euro will enter into circulation.

There are many innovations introduced with this new
banknote: 

New graphics – First of all, the new 5 euro is the first of the
"Europa series". It shows the hologram and watermark portrait of
Europe, a figure of Greek mythology.

Europa was the Phoenician king's daughter. She was
seduced by Zeus in the guise of a bull, who is said to have carried her off
bringing her in Crete.

Ancient Greeks use "Europe" as a
geographical term, from which our continent takes its name. On the back of the
new banknote, there is a map of Europe, which incorporates now also Malta and
Cyprus, amongst the new Member States that have joined in the EU.

The new Europa series banknotes will feature the
architectural styles throughout Europe's history, leaving out monuments or
bridges that used to be featured in the first series. The styles are:

€5: Classical

€10: Romanesque

€20: Gothic

€50: Renaissance

€100: Baroque and rococo

€200: Iron and glass architecture of 19th century

€500: Architecture of 20th century

An independent designer based in Berlin, Reinhold
Gerstetter, was selected to refresh the design of the euro banknotes.

Why new banknotes? – The new banknotes are innovative
in terms of technology, one can spot new features which provide higher
security.

The amount of research carried out and eventual
development of the Eurosystem aims to make the euro banknotes so safe that they
actually constitute a deterrent to counterfeiters.

Credit institutions, professional cash handlers and
citizens should be better able to recognize counterfeits with the new tools
that have been introduced in order to improve the security of banknotes in the
Eurosystem.

It will be easy to use the simple "FEEL, LOOK,
MOVE", without special training.

The banknote, in fact, has got some particular
characteristics related to sound and texture. The novelty is that one can
perceive a series of dashes  to the left
and right margins .

Looking at the banknote one can also see a neat
picture which is a reference to the value of the banknote.

Another novelty is the ‘€' symbol that appears in the
security thread where the silver strip on the right of the banknote shows both
the amount of the value and the € symbol.

Gradual introduction – The new series will be introduced gradually over
several years, starting from the € 5 banknote in May 2013, followed by the € 10
banknote a year later.

Each country has its own "cash cycle" and
the rate of substitution of coins will not be homogeneous across the euro area.
The first series of €5 bank notes will still be in circulation and gradually
faced out.

As of 1st May 2013 therefore both series will be legal
tender and will circulate in parallel. This means that they should be treated
and accepted as equals.

Curiosity about € 5 – The €5 banknote was very commonly used last year
(2012) and the amount of €5 banknotes produced is equivalent to the distance
between the Earth and the Moon.

"The euro-notes are a great success", said Mario
Draghi, President of the European Central Bank. "They represent the unity
and diversity of our continent. They are the most visible symbol of European
integration".