New 100-euro and 200-euro notes of Europa series to be put into circulation next week

RIGA - New 100 and 200-euro banknotes of the Europa series will be put into circulation next week, representatives of the Bank of Latvia told journalists today.

The new euro notes will differ a different size to the euro notes currently in circulation – they will be narrower by five millimeters. The new 100-euro banknotes will be 147 millimeters long and 77 millimeters high, while the 200-euro notes will be 153 millimeters long and 77 millimeters high.

“These banknotes are narrower that the banknotes of the first series, so they will fit better in wallets easier and last longer. The size has been reduced also to prevent counterfeiting,” said Aleksandrs Antins, head of the Bank of Latvia’s money technology department.

The new euro banknotes have a satellite hologram showing small euro symbols that move around the number and become clearer under direct light, which is an entirely new security feature.

The silvery stripe also shows the portrait of Europa, the architectural motif and a large symbol of the euro. The new 100 and 200-euro banknotes also feature an enhanced emerald number. While the emerald number itself is present on all the other notes of the Europa series, this enhanced version also shows euro symbols inside the numerals.

Bank of Latvia board member Janis Blums said that businesses, retailers and services providers are ready to for the launch of the new euro notes and that no obstacles have been found that might prevent the new notes from being put into circulation.

The Bank of Latvia representatives underlined that 100 and 200-euro banknotes of the new series will be in circulation along with the banknotes of the first series, which means that there is no need for people to exchange the older notes for the new ones. The new Europa series banknotes will be put into circulation gradually through the Bank of Latvia and other banks.