[seb2]

ok, it's been quite a party but even though i'm extremely tired, i just couldn't walk by that atm without getting any euro bills.

does anybody else have the feeling that it's like opening a "monopoly" and seeing all that toy money you're supposed to use for the rest of your life?

i *love* the eu flag on it, though. hadn't realized that before...

happy and peaceful new year everyone!

[voodoo]

Food for thought...

chow down Europe.

[mrfrost]

4:35 AM here and just came home. Had to stop to get me some � bills first. Too bad they only have �20 and �50 euro bills at the time though. I'm hoping to use them tomorrow

Happy new year to all of you around the world

[scaught]

got a link to what the new currency looks like by any chance? i dont think ive even seen any pictures...

[Patrick]

Originally posted by seb2:
<STRONG>does anybody else have the feeling that it's like opening a "monopoly" and seeing all that toy money you're supposed to use for the rest of your life?</STRONG>

Exactly what I thought when the USA here got new paper currency a while ago. They supposedly changed them to make it more difficult for counterfeiters, but to my eye they look fake in the first place. More blank space, less ornate borders, and they changed the portraits on the front to look more like something out of Photoshop than the original paintings. At least we still have the same $1 bills, though I'm sure they'll change those sometime in the future.

You'll get used to it.

[mrfrost]

Originally posted by scaught:
<STRONG>got a link to what the new currency looks like by any chance? i dont think ive even seen any pictures...</STRONG>

Here is a link for the notes

Here is a link for the coins

[ 12-31-2001: Message edited by: Mr_Frost ]

[nonhuman]

Originally posted by Patrick:
<STRONG>At least we still have the same $1 bills, though I'm sure they'll change those sometime in the future.</STRONG>

They should be switching those pretty soon. Wasn't the plan to introduce a new one every year until they replaced them all?

[Patrick]

Originally posted by nonhuman:
<STRONG>

They should be switching those pretty soon. Wasn't the plan to introduce a new one every year until they replaced them all?</STRONG>

I'm not sure... that would mean it's taken 5 years to replace the current bills ($100, $50, $20, $10 and $5). I think the new 5s have been around for more than a year, and the 20s were introduced less than 3 years ago. But I oculd be wrong.

And Mr. Frost beat me to it with links for pictures, but here's another, anyway: http://www.cnn.com/interactive/speci...t.exclude.html

The bills don't look that fake to me, but the coins do (the obverse side, that is -- less detailed).

[cpt kangarooski]

I thought the plan was to drop the one dollar bill altogether and swap over to the Sacajawea dollar coins. Of course, in such an event, I'd like to see the two dollar bill become more significant, or perhaps a new bill that was two-fifty.

[nonhuman]

Originally posted by cpt kangarooski:
<STRONG>I thought the plan was to drop the one dollar bill altogether and swap over to the Sacajawea dollar coins. Of course, in such an event, I'd like to see the two dollar bill become more significant, or perhaps a new bill that was two-fifty.</STRONG>

I sure hope not; I hate carrying coins around, they always fall out of my pocket when I get in my car, and they're much harder than bills to keep in my money clip.

[Doc Juansinn]

Greetings,

I don't like the Euro notes but I do like the designs of the Italian and Austrian coins. All the other coin designs are a disappointment, but I'll collect them all anyway.

As for the U.S. $1 coin vs. $1 note, Americans will NEVER use a coin if given the option to use paper money instead. If they want to save money by having a circulating $1 coin, they must stop printing and circulating a $1 note. It appears that those who would make this decision haven't quite figured it out yet.

Carrying around coins isn't a problem for me. I rarely have more than $1 in change at any given time, and I've had experience with $1 and $2 coins in Canada as well as 1,2, and 5 DM coins in Germany. Spend those coins!

[scaught]

Originally posted by cpt kangarooski:
<STRONG>I thought the plan was to drop the one dollar bill altogether and swap over to the Sacajawea dollar coins.</STRONG>

i have no reference, but i think those intentions are being tarnished by people who are hoarding the things like mad. theyre supposed to be a widely circulated coin, but how many have you recieved as change at a store?

[nonhuman]

Originally posted by scaught:
<STRONG>but how many have you recieved as change at a store?</STRONG>

Fortunately none, those things are horrendously ugly.

[scaught]

holy crap thats a mess of different coins! why so many?

how does the euro compare to the US dollar?

[Justin Belisle]

Why is there a 20 cent coin? It doesn't make sense. Why not 25 cents ? I don't understand it.

[Synotic]

Originally posted by Justin Belisle:
<STRONG>Why is there a 20 cent coin? It doesn't make sense. Why not 25 cents ? I don't understand it.</STRONG>

Why not? 5 * 20 = 100. If things are cheaper then it makes more sense.

[CaseCom]

Somebody asked about the design of the U.S. $1 bill. It was not redesigned in the 1996-2000 redesign, the logic being that there isn't much of a counterfeit problem with $1 bills. It may change in a future redesign, though; there's talk of revising U.S. currency every 10 years or so to keep counterfeiters on their toes. (Nothing official yet, though.)

To answer somebody else's question: a euro is worth about 90 U.S. cents.

[Justin Belisle]

Originally posted by Synotic:
<STRONG>Why not? 5 * 20 = 100. If things are cheaper then it makes more sense.</STRONG>

Its just that alot of countries generally use denominations of 1�,5�,10�,25�,etc. but 20� coins also make sense

[Demonhood]

Originally posted by scaught:
i have no reference, but i think those intentions are being tarnished by people who are hoarding the things like mad. theyre supposed to be a widely circulated coin, but how many have you recieved as change at a store?

last i heard, they were only giving them as change at the post office and wal-mart (america's biggest retailer). why, i have no idea. if they give them wider distribution, they'll gain more acceptance. i kinda like using $1 coins. saves me from taking out my wallet and sorting thru the different bills.

[Xtopolop]

Originally posted by Patrick:
<STRONG>

they changed the portraits on the front to look more like something out of Photoshop than the original paintings.</STRONG>

Or out of Kai's Power Goo!

[seb2]

Originally posted by scaught:
<STRONG>holy crap thats a mess of different coins! why so many?</STRONG>

well, i think the idea is kind of cool, every country gets to design all flipsides of the coins to represent something national. the fronsides of the coins are the same everywhere.

justin, this is "european logic": it's all 1, 2, 5 times 10, 100, 1000...
and if you think about it, you got a 25 cents coin, but a 20 dollar note. if 25 was so logical, why the 20 note?

just something to think about...

[Cipher13]

Are these euro bills paper or plastic?

Is Australia the only place that uses plastic bills? We phased out paper... counterfeiting has gone down so much it isn't funny, though why counterfeit our stuff when you can c.f. money thats actually worth something... but meh.

I have a big collection of foreign currency (not that I'm a collector, per se), and I've gotta say the Australian bills seem the hardest to copy...

[mmurray]

Originally posted by Justin Belisle:
<STRONG>
Its just that alot of countries generally use denominations of 1�,5�,10�,25�,etc. but 20� coins also make sense</STRONG>

In Australia we used to have

1c 2c 5c 10c 20c 50c $1 $2

then they decided to drop the 1c and 2c so everything
in the shop gets rounded to 5c if you use cash but
the real price if you use credit or electronic
transfer out of your account !

I really like US coins as they are so small. You can have a pocketful
of changed and never know it. On the other hand the notes are really
scary for a visitor being all the same color and size. Kept getting the
$1 and the $1,000,000 note confused :-)

Michael

[CaseCom]

Originally posted by Justin Belisle:
<STRONG>Why is there a 20 cent coin? It doesn't make sense. Why not 25 cents ? I don't understand it.</STRONG>

a 20-cent piece makes more sense from a metric point of view, I guess (and we all know how the U.S. has embraced the metric system). The U.S. quarter goes back to colonial times, when currency was hard to come by and the Spanish milled dollar was used. For smaller purchases it was often broken into eight pieces, or bits. A common price was "two bits" -- a quarter.

[pete.z]

Originally posted by scaught:
<STRONG>holy crap thats a mess of different coins! why so many?

how does the euro compare to the US dollar?</STRONG>

1 � = .89 $

[seb2]

Originally posted by Cipher13:
<STRONG>Are these euro bills paper or plastic?</STRONG>

actually, they're made of cotton. i don't know about other european pre-euro bills, but german bills always used to be made out of cotton.

supposedly harder to counterfeit -- sounds logical, you can actually feel the difference the bills and normal paper.

[Dogma]

I want my Euros!

It's not fair that you guys get to use this big step into world integration whilst we have to put up with the nationalistic bull that we've suffered in this country for centuries.

The only reason I want Scotland to be Independent is so that we can join Europe properly - not the lame attempt of integration that we currently boast. The problem is that with England having the majority of say on the overall running of the country, we will never see the UK in the single currency, and never quite grasp with both hands the whole idea of 'Europe'.

Might be an idea to form a 'United Celtic Federation' or something with Northern Ireland and Wales.

Don't have any problems with English people - just the politics that they seem to vote for.

Ho hum.

Vive la �uro!

[Jan Van Boghout]

I have to get used to those bills . completely Monopoly . Oh well , I think I'll bet used to it in no time .

Go � !

[Dogma]

Do the new cotton bills have watermarking or 'silver' through them as UK notes do? I always liked the idea of the notes having real silver threaded through it and printed on that cool paper as it really makes it feel like real money - you get a better appreciation of cash when it looks impressive - one thing I always found with the $1 bill was that they looked and felt so cheap.

I like the coins - same denominations as we have here. 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, �1, �2.

I prefer the 20� than 25�, round numbers are always so much easier to work with.

We still have �1 notes in Scotland, the only country in the UK that they are still legal tender. It's really annoying if you buy a can of coke with a �5 note and all you get is a bunch of notes - most people ask for the coins - so much less hassle to count.

I also like the size of the newer 5p and 10p pieces. I hope the Euro cents are quite small as I'd have to go back to larger coins.

We will be in the single currency eventually, I promise, just wish it had been sooner.

New years cheers to you all.

[seb2]

Originally posted by Dogma:
<STRONG>Do the new cotton bills have watermarking or 'silver' through them as UK notes do?</STRONG>

watermarks and something they call "security thread" -- no idea what material that's made out of since it doesn't surface. you only notice it when you hold the bill against the light.
http://www.euro.ecb.int/en/section/recog.html

the german bills used to have a silver thread in them that would surface in intervals, like about 5 mm inside the bill, 5 mm on the surface, gave the impression of a dashed line but it actually went through the entire bill. looked very cool. miss that :-(

the coins look bigger than they are. if i look at them separately, they look quite big, they seem smaller when compared to german coins, they're roughly the same size. (if you've ever seen a 1 dm coin, the 1 � coin is *exactly* the same size, that's why they don't have to change machines and lockers that take a deposit -- and now tell me some german official didn't interfere there...)

[Dogma]

I was reading the BBC section on the Euro, and apparently there have been roughly 9 million Euro notes printed by the Bank of England, and a few thousand coins minted by the Royal Mint.

We don't get standard notes in this country - they're not printed by anyone particular establishment - in fact most major banks make their own. I have on me a Bank of Scotland �20 note which is more of a reddish purple than the Bank of England one, and the silver thread on the BOE notes are 'threaded' in and out of the two sides - giving a woven effect - whereas the BOS note is straight through the middle. You also get holograms on some notes as well. You never really know what your gonna get. I always get lots of Bank of England notes before going down south - as they have a real problem believing that we make our own notes. (The top ones we get are Bank of Scotland, Royal Bank of Scotland, and the Clydesdale Bank)

I think most other countries notes are issued by the central bank or the treasury. I always thought it would be funny if they started putting adverts or cartoons rather than famous people on the notes.

Anyhow, I was interested to see the Euro coins and notes taking a lot of influence from British Cash. �5 / �5 - Blue, �10 / �10 - Brown, �20 / �20 - Purple, 20p / 20� - 7-sided (heptagon?) etc.

[Dogma]

Don't know if I could get used to the bronzish metal used in the higher coins - would make a lot of things you say obsolete. Crossing your palm with silver and the like.

But hey.

[seb2]

last night, i watched a news program on german tv that dealt with the plural form for the euro we're going to use... plural in german is kind of weird and, yes, we haven't yet figured out to refer to more than 1 euro or 1 cent. haha!

but here's a question to the francophones: have you figured out a way to distinguish between cents (currency) and "hundreds"? i mean, is there any difference between the pronounciation of the number 200 and � 0.02 (that is, 2 cents)?

[JoeG4]

We Americans don't deal with it

Why don't you call it Eurya'll or something. rofl

Or bucks!!!

Better: Yucks

[daimoni]

.

[Jan Van Boghout]

Originally posted by JoeG4:
<STRONG>We Americans don't deal with it

Why don't you call it Eurya'll or something. rofl

Or bucks!!!

Better: Yucks</STRONG>

Eurya'll ??? If you don't deal with it , don't post about it . You don't say anything useful anyway . Oh sure the new European currency is "Yuck" , how original

[M�lum]

Originally posted by seb2:
<STRONG>last night, i watched a news program on german tv that dealt with the plural form for the euro we're going to use... plural in german is kind of weird and, yes, we haven't yet figured out to refer to more than 1 euro or 1 cent. haha!

but here's a question to the francophones: have you figured out a way to distinguish between cents (currency) and "hundreds"? i mean, is there any difference between the pronounciation of the number 200 and � 0.02 (that is, 2 cents)?</STRONG>

0.02 = 2 centimes (like it used to be in Francs)

[seb2]

Originally posted by M�lum:
<STRONG>0.02 = 2 centimes (like it used to be in Francs)</STRONG>

...just to be sure: you still say centimes though the, um, "official" name is "cent"?

something else: i've been shopping today and i was used to questions like "cash or credit?" but "what currency?" was new to me

[JMII]

The way things are going all coins/bills will be gone soon and only credit cards will work. Only vending machines and toll booths are holding us back.

Atleast other countries have intresting and original/artisic bills, the US ones are SO boring - they are just that impossible to reproduce greeish/black color with pictures of dead people.

In addition other countries will almost ALWAYS take US dollars. I was in Europe (Greece, Malta, Italy, France, Spain) for 2 weeks (last spring) and hardly ever had to change money at an exchange. Very friendly/helpful folks in most stores/restuarants, as they were more than happy to convert any amount into dollars and give you local change in return. Often they would round up to the nearest figure but you never got ripped for more than a dollar or two.

However here in America if you hand someone anything but good ole "bucks" they shove it back in your face... even Canadian money is not accepted here. And people wonder why the metric system caught on.

[M�lum]

Originally posted by seb2:
<STRONG>

...just to be sure: you still say centimes though the, um, "official" name is "cent"?
</STRONG>

The french word for cent is centime and the italian word for cent is centesimo.
You're confusing currency with language.

[MacGorilla]

I'm going to Europe in March..I cannot wait to see the new bills. I will miss the money from the Netherlands. It was so cool looking.

[M�lum]

Originally posted by MacGorilla:
<STRONG>I'm going to Europe in March..I cannot wait to see the new bills. I will miss the money from the Netherlands. It was so cool looking.</STRONG>

I agree, the Dutch notes were fantastic. But the new Euro notes are not bad either, especially the 200 and 500 ones, I hope to use them often.

[scaught]

how are they going to transfer everyone over to the new currency? is the old currency always going to be accepted or will places eventually stop accepting it?

[Dogma]

Originally posted by scaught:
<STRONG>how are they going to transfer everyone over to the new currency? is the old currency always going to be accepted or will places eventually stop accepting it?</STRONG>

The banks and all electronic transactions have been pretty much moved over to the Euro, the only issue was the cash in peoples pockets. All you need to do now is take your Francs, Deutschemarks, Punts etc, into a bank and change it. Or a lot of shops will give you your change in Euros instead. Shouldn't really take too long.

I think the deadline is February the 28th.

A pparently people are cashing in a lot of 'mattress' funds - cash they've never banked.

If you've only got �IR20 in your pocket, I really woudn't worry too much. I think most of the banks will just automatically change the symbols on the bank statement and do the calculations. Most of the transactions were already getting processed as Euros, just no one saw it, it looked like it was getting down in native currency.

[seb2]

Originally posted by M�lum:
<STRONG>

The french word for cent is centime and the italian word for cent is centesimo.
You're confusing currency with language.</STRONG>

but it clearly says "cent" on the coin.

[seb2]

Originally posted by Dogma:
<STRONG>I think the deadline is February the 28th.</STRONG>

it is. since january 1st, only the euro is legal tender in the euro zone, old currencies are only being accepted (but is no longer legal tender, the stores will do the exchange for you).

after that, you'll have to go to the national bank of the member state your money is from to exchange it. so if you find those missing millions in a year, you'll be able to get euros for that, it'll just be a little more of a hassle then.

[mrfrost]

I just have some Belgian francs left in my pocket to buy smokes, etc....
The shops give back change in the � currency so I'm just waiting untill I run out of Belgian francs and then I will just use the �.

I think that's the general idea of how it's supposed to develop.
deadline here is 28th of February...from that day Belgian francs won't be accepted anymore.

[EDIT]noticed a spelling mistake....18 more to go[/EDIT]

[ 01-02-2002: Message edited by: Mr_Frost ]

[suprz]

i heard on the news today that the first theft of the new euro bills took place yesterday or today i cant remember...

[M�lum]

Originally posted by seb2:
<STRONG>

but it clearly says "cent" on the coin.</STRONG>

Ach Du Liebe Gott!

"Cent" can be understood in all languages. They couldn't write centime, centesimo etc on all the coins couldnt they?

"Euro" on the other hand is not clear in Cirillic, that's why it's translated on the notes.

It's a European currency, not the European language.

btw that picture on your profile scared the hell out of me!

[ 01-02-2002: Message edited by: M�lum ]

[seb2]

Originally posted by M�lum:
<STRONG>"Cent" can be understood in all languages. They couldn't write centime, centesimo etc on all the coins couldnt they?

"Euro" on the other hand is not clear in Cirillic, that's why it's translated on the notes.</STRONG>

ok, i'll just accept that.
though... have you ever seen old soviet rubel bills? they *had* "rubel" on it in every language of the member republics. and it wasn't necessarily "rubel" it translated to; e.g. for kyrghyz it said "som" on the rubel bills and that's what their currency after independence from the ussr was called.
so it *is* possible to have a currency with different languages (alphabet and name) on the bills.
(for the records, the coins were only in russian, just like the euro coins are only in latin and not greek -- which btw i don't understand, i think greek on the bills a) looks cool b) makes it truly european)

<STRONG>btw that picture on your profile scared the hell out of me!</STRONG>

that bad?