5 euro note

The five-euro note (€5) is the smallest euro banknotes. It has been used since the euro (in its cash form) started in 2002.

The note is the official currency of 21 of the 27 member states of the European Union, which are part of the Eurozone. Some other places like Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City also use the euro.

Measuring 120 x 62 mm, it is the smallest of the euro notes, and has a grey colour scheme. The five-euro banknotes show images of bridges and arches from Classical architecture. The note includes special security features such as watermarks, invisible ink, holograms, and tiny printing to prove it is real.

On 8 November 2012, the European Central Bank announced that the first series of notes would be replaced by the Europa series, starting with the five-euro note. The design of the new five-euro banknote was shown on 10 January 2013 and it was put into use on 2 May 2013.

History

Main article: History of the euro

The euro started on January 1, 1999, as a way for many people in Europe to do business, but it wasn’t real money you could hold yet. It only existed for accounting. Real euro money, like banknotes and coins, began on January 1, 2002, when it replaced the old currencies of countries in the Eurozone, such as the Irish pound and the Austrian schilling.

Over time, more countries joined the Eurozone. Slovenia joined in 2007, Cyprus and Malta in 2008, Slovakia in 2009, Estonia in 2011, Latvia in 2014, Lithuania in 2015, Croatia in 2023, and Bulgaria in 2026.

The five-euro note has changed a few times. Notes made before November 2003 had the signature of the first President of the European Central Bank. A new design for the five-euro note started being used on May 2, 2013. This new note has a small updated map and a special security feature. It also includes words in Bulgarian because Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007. The old five-euro notes are still good money and will keep being used until they run out.

Design

The five-euro note is the smallest euro banknote. It measures 120 by 62 millimetres (4.7 in × 2.4 in) and is grey. It shows bridges, arches, or doorways from the Classical era (8th century BC–4th century AD). The design uses imaginary examples of that style.

All euro notes, including the five-euro note, have similar features: the value, the EU flag, the signature of the European Central Bank president, the bank’s initials in different EU languages, a map of Europe, stars from the EU flag, and special security features to prevent copying.

Security features (first series)

The five-euro note has several security features, including:

• A hologram that changes when you tilt the note.
• A special shiny stripe that shows the value.
• Watermarks that appear when held up to light.
• Raised printing that feels rough when touched.
• Ink that glows under ultraviolet light.
• Tiny sharp printing that needs a magnifying glass to see.
• A hidden strip inside the paper with tiny letters.
• Tiny holes that form the € symbol when held up to light.
• A rough surface made from pure cotton paper.
• Barcodes and a serial number.

Security features (Europa series)

The newer Europa series five-euro note includes:

• A watermark of a portrait and the value.
• A holographic stripe showing a portrait and the value.
• A special number that changes colour and moves when tilted.
• Raised printing on the edges.
• A security thread with tiny letters.
• Tiny sharp printing.
• Parts that glow under ultraviolet light.
• Different parts that appear under infrared light.

5 euro banknote under special ultraviolet light (UV-C) (Europa series)

Obverse

Reverse

5 euro banknote under infrared light (Europa series)

Obverse

Reverse

Circulation

The European Central Bank looks after the use and supply of euro coins and banknotes to keep things running well across the Eurozone.

As of December 2024, there were over 2 billion €5 banknotes in use, worth more than 11 billion euros. These numbers include all the banknotes that have been issued, whether they are in people's wallets or in banks. The first €5 notes were introduced in January 2002, and new designs, called the 'Europe' series, started appearing in May 2013. Both the old and new notes were used together for a while, but the older ones are now being used less and less.

Legal information

Both the European Central Bank and the central banks of the eurozone countries can issue the seven different euro banknotes. In practice, only the national central banks of the eurozone actually put euro banknotes into circulation and take them out. The European Central Bank does not handle cash directly and is not involved in cash operations.

Tracking

Some people like to track euro banknotes as a hobby. A popular website is EuroBillTracker, where people share information about the notes they find. This helps learn where the money travels.