Todd Buell
FRANKFURT–Greece is to stay in
the eurozone. Or at least its mythology will.
The European Central Bank
Tuesday unveiled its new €20 note, the third in the series that shows the Greek
mythological figure Europa on it.
The note has a new feature
which the bank calls a “portrait window.” When the note “is held against the
light, the window becomes transparent and reveals a portrait of the
mythological figure Europa, visible on both sides of the note,” the ECB said in
a press release.
ECB President Mario Draghi said
it was a “a real innovation in banknote technology.” He spoke at a very brief
ceremony at the ECB in Frankfurt where he signed the new note. The EU’s anthem,
Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”, played in the background.
The ECB has already introduced
Europa-series versions of its €5 and €10 bank notes. The new €20 note will enter
into circulation on Nov. 25. The ECB intends eventually to replace the €50,
€100, €200 and €500 notes which are also in circulation.
Mr. Draghi’s speech didn’t
touch on current issues, but he stressed the connection between eurozone
banknotes and European integration.
“The introduction of a new
banknote serves as a reminder that this integration is an ongoing process. Euro
banknotes touch the lives of every one of us. As such, they bring us all closer
together,” he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment