Euro banknotes have already changed once, and they will change again. The first series accompanied the cash launch on 1 January 2002. The Europa series was introduced gradually from 2013 to 2019 and is the only series now being produced. A future series is currently being designed through the ECB redesign process. Each generation builds on the previous one rather than replacing it outright.
Three series at a glance
The three series share the same currency, but they were prepared under different institutional, technological and editorial conditions. The summaries below stay close to what the ECB itself publishes about each one.
- First series (2002 - 2019). Seven denominations designed by Robert Kalina around the Ages and styles of Europe theme. Still legal tender, but no longer produced.
- Europa series (2013 - present). Six denominations refreshed by Reinhold Gerstetter, anchored on a portrait of Europa used in security features. Currently issued across the euro area.
- Future series (in design). An ECB redesign process under two possible themes, European culture and Rivers and birds, with motifs announced in 2025 and a final design proposal expected by the end of 2026.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | First series | Europa series | Future series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Legal tender; no longer produced | Current production and issuance | In design; not yet issued |
| Introduced | 1 January 2002, single launch | Gradual rollout from 2013 to May 2019 | Final design proposal expected by end of 2026; circulation several years later |
| Designer | Robert Kalina, Oesterreichische Nationalbank | Reinhold Gerstetter | To be selected through the ECB design contest |
| Theme | Ages and styles of Europe: windows, gateways and bridges across European architectural periods | Same architectural theme, refreshed; portrait of Europa used in security features | Two possible themes selected by the ECB: European culture and Rivers and birds |
| Denominations | 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 | 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 | Not yet decided |
| 500 euro note | Included (violet; modern architecture) | Not continued | Not announced |
| Key security features | Watermark, security thread, raised intaglio print, foil hologram and UV details, varying by denomination | Portrait of Europa in watermark and hologram, portrait window, emerald number and satellite hologram on higher denominations | To be defined as part of the design selection |
| ECB signatures encountered | Duisenberg, Trichet, Draghi | Draghi, Lagarde | Future ECB President at the time of issuance |
What stays, what changes
The continuity matters as much as the differences. The Europa series did not break from the first series visually: the architectural theme, the colour codes by denomination and the overall family resemblance were kept. The redesign added a portrait used inside security features, made the most visible checks easier to explain, and stopped at the 200 euro note.
The future series is the first one that does not start from the architectural theme. The ECB has selected two possible thematic directions and will choose one through a process that includes expert work, public input and a design contest. The next generation of euro banknotes will therefore look visibly different from the current set, even where its function and security logic remain consistent.