The new euro banknote designs are out. Ten of them, to be exact. And for the first time, the European Central Bank actually wants to know what you think before it picks a winner. On 23 July 2026, the ECB revealed ten shortlisted design proposals for the next series of euro notes and opened a public survey so anyone in Europe, including you. You handle euro cash almost every day, at the bakery, the market, or just keeping a bit at home. So it’s worth five minutes to see what could soon be sitting in your wallet.
What the New Euro Banknote Designs Actually Look Like
Here’s the backstory. The ten shortlisted proposals came out of an EU-wide design contest that pulled in more than 1,200 applications from graphic designers. Twenty-five were invited to build full design proposals, working from one or both of two themes: “European culture” and “Rivers and birds.” An independent jury of 21 experts then narrowed the field down to ten finalists. The jury covered graphic design, communication, neuroscience, and history, with every euro area central bank nominating one member. The split between the two themes shows in the artwork itself. Some designs lean on cultural imagery and portrait-style faces. Others go for something more natural, like birds caught mid-flight over water. You can see every one of the new euro banknote designs, plus behind-the-scenes videos of the whole selection process on the ECB’s official banknote design page.
How to Vote in the ECB’s Public Survey
Taking part is genuinely simple. The ECB put all ten proposals into one online survey, and it’s open to anyone in Europe until 21 September 2026. You look at each design, answer a few short questions on what you like or don’t, and you’re done in a few minutes. There’s also a second, separate survey running at the same time. An independent research company is asking the identical questions to a representative sample of euro area citizens, so the ECB ends up with both a wide public read and a more carefully sampled one. Both results get published in a report once a final design is chosen. The ECB has said this public input is a real part of the decision, not just a box to tick.
Why the ECB Is Doing This Now
This is the first full redesign since euro banknotes first went into circulation back in 2002. That alone makes it a bigger deal than a routine refresh. ECB President Christine Lagarde put it this way: “Euro banknotes are more than a means of payment, they are one of the most tangible expressions of Europe.” She added, “Through designs that combine beauty and meaning, they will reinforce our shared identity.” The Governing Council, the ECB’s top decision-making body, will weigh the jury’s conclusions, a technical assessment, and both survey results before settling on one final concept. That decision is expected around the end of 2026. It has to represent twenty different countries at once, which is part of why the whole process has taken this long.
Your Old Euro Notes Aren’t Going Anywhere Yet
Nothing changes right away, so there’s no need to panic or start spending your cash early. Your current euro banknotes keep their full value, and they’ll keep circulating normally alongside the new series once it finally arrives. Even after the Governing Council picks a winning design, it still has to go through further development and testing before production starts. The new notes will only reach your wallet years from now. For now, this is simply a rare chance to have a say in what your money looks like. If you’re the type who likes tracking what’s changing around you day to day, our Germany Cost of Living Calculator is a handy companion while all this plays out.
Share this post:
