All Euro Banknote denominations incorporate several security features to deter counterfeiting. Security features are not specific to any one denomination, but some vary between lower denominations (€5, €10 and €20) and higher denominations (€50, €100, €200 and €500).
Security features of Euro banknotes
| Security Feature |
Description |
| Holograms |
€20 notes and lower carry a holographic band to the right of the front side. This band is imprinted with the note's denomination.
In the case of the €50 notes and higher, the band is replaced with a holographic decal at bottom-right of the front side. |
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€5 Holographic Stripe |
€10 Holographic Stripe |
€20 Holographic Stripe |
These security features are more suited to the higher denominations because they are more expensive and account for a smaller share of all Euro banknotes.
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€50, €100, €200 and €500 Holographic Stripe |
These security features are more suited to the lower denominations because they are less expensive and account for a larger share of all Euro banknotes.
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| Perforations |
When banknotes are held against a light source, the hologram reveals perforations which form the € symbol and small numbers and letters describing the value. |
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€5 Holographic Perforations |
€10 Holographic Perforations |
€20 Holographic Perforations |
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€50 Holographic Perforations |
€100 Holographic Perforations |
€200 Holographic Perforations |
€500 Holographic Perforations |
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| Iridescent Stripe |
The Euro sign and the denomination are printed on a matted surface, on the €5, €10 and €20 notes, in a vertical band which is only visible when observed at an angle of 45° under a light source. |
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€5 Iridescent Stripe |
€10 Iridescent Stripe |
€20 Iridescent Stripe |
These security features are more suited to the higher denominations because they are more expensive and account for a smaller share of all Euro banknotes.
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| Variable Colour Ink |
The denomination value, located at the bottom right of the back of the €50, €100, €200 and €500 notes varies between purple and green when observed from different angles. |
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€50, €100, €200 and €500 Variable Colour Ink |
These security features are more suited to the lower denominations because they are less expensive and account for a larger share of all Euro banknotes.
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| Watermark |
Each denomination is printed on uniquely-watermarked paper. This may be observed by holding the note up to the light. |
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| All denominations' watermarks |
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| Image Registration |
The note denomination in the upper-left corner of the front (1, below) of each note is printed incompletely, as is the denomination in the upper-right corner of the back (2, below). When held up to the light, this denomination is visible in its entirety. Genuine notes will exhibit perfect alignment (or 'registration') between the front and back. If the note has been printed incorrectly, i.e. by a counterfeiter, these numbers may appear poorly aligned. |
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€5 Image Registration |
€10 Image Registration |
€20 Image Registration |
€50 Image Registration |
€100 Image Registration |
€200 Image Registration |
€500 Image Registration |
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| Raised Print |
Some areas of the notes have a different texture from others and some characters are raised to the touch. The ECB abbreviations are one of these areas. |
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€5 Raised Print |
€10 Raised Print |
€20 Raised Print |
€50 Raised Print |
€100 Raised Print |
€200 Raised Print |
€500 Raised Print |
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| Security Thread |
A black thread in the middle of the note is seen only against a light source. It shows the denomination of the note, along with the word "Euro". This thread is magnetic. |
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€5 Security Thread |
€10 Security Thread |
€20 Security Thread |
€50 Security Thread |
€100 Security Thread |
€200 Security Thread |
€500 Security Thread |
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| Magnetic Ink |
Some areas of the Euro banknote design feature magnetic ink (known as MICR). For example, the rightmost church window on the €20 note is magnetic, as well as the large zero above it. |
| Infra-red and Ultraviolet Watermarks |
When seen in near infrared light, the banknotes will show darker areas in different areas of the design depending on the denomination. Ultraviolet light will make some fluorescent threads in the paper stand out. |
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€5 (front and back) Under Infra-red and Ultraviolet Light |
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€10 (front and back) Under Infra-red and Ultraviolet Light |
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€20 (front and back) Under Infra-red and Ultraviolet Light |
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€50 (front and back) Under Infra-red and Ultraviolet Light |
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€100 (front and back) Under Infra-red and Ultraviolet Light |
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€200 (front and back) Under Infra-red and Ultraviolet Light |
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€500 (front and back) Under Infra-red and Ultraviolet Light |
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| Micro Print |
The texture lines to the bottom, e.g. those aligned with the ΕΥΡΩ mark on the €10 banknote, are actually made of the word "EURO" in very small print. |
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€5 Micro Print |
€10 Micro Print |
€20 Micro Print |
€50 Micro Print |
€100 Micro Print |
€200 Micro Print |
€500 Micro Print |
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| Serial Number |
Unlike the Euro coins, the Euro notes do not have a national side indicating where they're from. This information is instead encoded within the note's serial number.
SEE Also: The Euro- Banknote Codes- Serial Numbers SEE Also: The Euro- Banknote Codes- Printer Code |
| Checksum |
Each note has a unique serial number. The serial number is validated using a checksum.
SEE Also: The Euro- Banknote Codes- Serial Numbers SEE Also: The Euro- Banknote Codes- Printer Code |
| Bar Code |
When held against a light source, metallic bars can be seen to the light of the watermark. The number and width of these bars indicates the value of the note. From the reverse, a dark bar is 1, a bright bar is 0. When scanned, these bars are converted to Manchester code. |
Manchester code
| Note |
Barcode |
Manchester |
| €5 |
0110 10 |
100 |
| €10 |
0101 10 |
110 |
| €20 |
1010 1010 |
0000 |
| €50 |
0110 1010 |
1000 |
| €100 |
0101 1010 |
1100 |
| €200 |
0101 0110 |
1110 |
| €500 |
0101 0101 |
1111 |
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