Opera icons or birds? ECB invites Europeans to pick new euro banknotes

The future euro banknotes are taking shape and, this time, it will be European citizens themselves who have the final say. On Thursday, the European Central Bank presented the ten finalist designs from which the new banknotes will be chosen.

More than 1,200 proposals were examined, but in the end two major themes emerged, reflecting the continent's identity: European culture and the richness of nature.

On one hand there are figures who have left their mark on the history of art, music, science and literature. On the other are rivers and birds that cross the continent's borders, symbols of Europe's biodiversity and the need to protect it.

The ECB opens a public vote to choose the euro's new look

The ten finalist designs were presented by European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, who invited Europeans to take part in choosing the euro's new look.

You can vote here. For each of the two themes, five different designs have been created, ranging from modern and minimalist styles to more traditional depictions of the chosen subjects. Through a survey published on the ECB's website, citizens can express their preferences and help shape the final decision.

The "European culture" theme: six major historical figures

If the culture-themed option wins, the new banknotes will feature some of the most influential figures in European history.

The €5 banknote would feature Maria Callas, the renowned Greek-American soprano who revolutionised the world of opera.

The €10 banknote would be dedicated to the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven, while the €20 banknote would honour scientist Marie Curie, a Nobel Prize winner and pioneer of scientific research.

The €50 banknote would depict Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, one of the most important novels in world literature.

The higher denominations would celebrate two emblematic figures of European thought: Leonardo da Vinci, who would feature on the €100 banknote, and Bertha von Suttner, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate chosen for the €200 banknote.

The other proposal: Europe's symbolic birds

The alternative theme focuses on nature. Each banknote depicts a different species of European bird set against a river landscape, while the reverse side features one of the European Union's main institutions.

The series includes the wallcreeper paired with the European Parliament, the kingfisher with the European Commission, the European bee-eater alongside the European Central Bank, the white stork with the Court of Justice of the European Union, the avocet with the European Council and the Council of the European Union, and, finally, the northern gannet with the European Court of Auditors.

When the new banknotes will arrive

The public vote is one of the stages in the process that will lead to the final selection of the euro's new design. Once the consultation is complete and the winning design has been selected, the ECB will move on to the technical steps required to produce the new banknotes, which are scheduled to enter circulation from the end of 2026.

The aim is to renew the look of the single currency while maintaining a strong link to Europe's shared values: its rich cultural heritage and the natural environment that unites all the member states.

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