ECB Unveils Shortlisted Designs for New Euro Banknotes

The European Central Bank (ECB) has unveiled ten shortlisted designs for the next generation of euro banknotes, which will go into circulation in 2027. The redesign aims to celebrate European history, culture, and nature through portraits, birds, and river landscapes.

The redesign began in 2023, when the ECB Governing Council selected two themes: European culture and Rivers and birds. Over 1,200 designers entered the competition, with 25 finalists developing complete banknote series. The 21-member jury narrowed down the proposals to ten winning designs, five for each theme.

The European culture theme features six figures who shaped European art, science, and history: Maria Callas 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 Bertha von Suttner on the €200. Designers used various visual styles to represent these figures, from tightly cropped portraits to more layered approaches incorporating hand-drawn portraits and objects associated with each figure.

The Rivers and birds theme turns to the natural world, featuring six European bird species across river landscapes that follow their journey from mountain sources to the sea. The selection includes the wallcreeper, kingfisher, bee-eater, white stork, avocet, and northern gannet.