Europe is picking the face of its next euro banknotes

The European Central Bank (@ecb) has unveiled ten shortlisted designs for the next series of euro banknotes, marking the first complete redesign of the euro since the currency's introduction in 2002. Europeans can now weigh in through a public survey, which will remain open until 21 September 2026.

Two Themes, Ten Proposals

The proposals follow two themes selected by the ECB's Governing Council: "European culture" and "Rivers and birds." Five of the shortlisted designs place historical figures on the front of the notes. Maria Callas would appear on the €5 note, Ludwig van Beethoven on the €10, Marie Curie on the €20, Miguel de Cervantes on the €50, Leonardo da Vinci on the €100, and the Austrian pacifist Bertha von Suttner on the €200. The other five designs feature European bird species set against river landscapes, including the kingfisher, the bee-eater, and the white stork.

The shortlist follows an EU-wide competition that attracted 1,241 applications, from which 25 designers were invited to develop proposals for one or both themes. They eventually submitted 39 complete series, assessed anonymously by an independent jury of 21 specialists working across fields including graphic design, communication, history, and neuroscience.

What Happens Next

The Governing Council said it would decide around the end of the year, weighing the jury's conclusions, a technical assessment, and the results of both surveys. A separate survey with the same questions will be conducted in parallel by an independent research company among a representative sample of euro area citizens. Once selected, the design will undergo further development and testing before production, with banknotes from the new series expected to enter circulation in subsequent years. Existing euro banknotes will retain their value and continue to circulate alongside the new ones.

ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone said the redesign "is part of a long-term effort by the Eurosystem to ensure that cash remains a secure, efficient and relatable means of payment." Periodically issuing new series of banknotes also makes it possible to take advantage of advances in technology to stay ahead of counterfeiting. The ECB is also aiming to reduce the environmental footprint of the banknotes by enhancing their durability and using more sustainable materials and production processes.

Sources:
ECB Official Press Release: Shortlisted designs for new banknotes and public survey
Deutsche Bundesbank: New design for euro banknotes
Brussels Signal: ECB puts new euro banknote designs to a vote