This banknote first appeared in France in 2015 as an initiative of a French citizen who had already obtained permission to print souvenir banknotes in 1996
In 2002 we welcomed the euro as the single currency and it was at that time that we became acquainted with its five, ten, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500- euro banknotes. However, there is one more banknote that is not on this list and which has probably never passed through your hands: the zero-euro banknote.
According to CaixaBank account, authorised by the European Central Bank (ECB), this banknote emerged in France in 2015 as an initiative of Richard Faille, a French citizen who in 1996 had already obtained permission from Monnaie de Paris to print souvenir banknotes, with no face value.
With the advent of the euro, Faille reached an agreement with the European authorities and the main banknote printers to print zero-euro banknotes. Interestingly, these banknotes are not only printed on the same premises as normal banknotes (at Oberthur Fiduciaire in France), but also have the same characteristics. They are made of the same material, and the same security measures are used such as watermarks, copper stripes, touch-sensitive embossing, hologram, transparent register, printer’s security background and UV-visible fluorescent ink.
In addition, each of the banknotes has a unique serial number. These «souvenirs» are therefore faithful reproductions of the real banknotes, but show a value of zero euros. Initially, the printing of these banknotes was limited to France, and the design included relevant monuments in the country. It was then replicated in Germany (2016) and Spain (2017).
Later, series have been printed for the other countries where the euro is legal tender. You can also personalise your banknote by sending the image of your choice to the website. Although the value of the banknote is zero euro, it costs 2.5 euros.
For Spain, there are 60 different banknote models that reproduce places or important personalities from our country in their designs.
From outstanding monuments, such as the Alhambra (Granada) or the Sagrada Familia (Barcelona), to sports legends, such as the Asturian footballer Enrique Castro, «Quini». A new limited edition of new models is launched every year, with about 10,000 copies, with the exception of exclusive collector’s editions with smaller print runs.
Outside our borders, there are also unique places to illustrate this curious banknote. There are many zero-euro banknotes with iconic motifs such as the Brandenburg Gate, Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum or the Manneken Pis, as well as personalities such as Karl Marx.
