Sardinia Gets Creative with Humorous Euro Banknote Designs

The European Central Bank has launched a contest to choose the theme of its next banknotes, and Sardinia is already getting creative. Before any official designs are released, Sardegnaesthetics, a satirical page on Instagram, has created its own humorous versions featuring beloved Sardinian icons.

The ECB's contest allows citizens to participate in the selection process for the first time in history, with ten finalist designs to be evaluated by independent experts. But while Europe is debating shared symbols, Sardegnaesthetics took a parallel path, using artificial intelligence to generate dozens of alternative versions on social media.

The Sardinian satirical page has replaced famous faces like Maria Callas and the Bassano booby with Gigi Riva, Egidiangela Sechi, and other influential figures from the island. Places that speak for themselves adorn the back of each note, such as Piazza L'Unione Sarda, the Amsicora stadium, and the nuraghe of Barumini.