The Euro

Today, countries using the euro are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. Note: Although members of the European Union (EU), Denmark, the United Kingdom and Sweden have elected not to use the euro as their common currency. In May 2004, 10 more countries joined the EU block. These were Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. And at last count, on January 1, 2007, another two stars were added to the EU flag when the former Soviet-bloc states Romania and Bulgaria became the union's 26th and 27th members. With the exception of Cyprus, Malta and Slovenia, these countries will not be using the euro for a few years yet until certain bureaucratic requirements are met.

All euro notes are shared by the 15 participating lands and are neutrally designed the same, featuring architectural styles from seven periods in Europe’s influential history. The set includes seven denominations: 5€, 10€, 20€, 50€, 100€, 200€ and the 500€ note.

All coins are shared the same as the notes; however, their reverse sides are designed individually by country. The set includes eight denominations: 1¢, 2¢, 5¢, 10¢, 20¢, 50¢, 1€ and the 2€ coin. (1€ = 100 cents.)

Since the coins are individually designed, many people find it interesting to check out the different nations they have in their pockets. For hobbyists, the coins can be worth much more than their face value; such is the case with the specially minted Vatican euro coins featuring Pope John Paul II. Also, enthusiasts may swap a higher-value coin for a lesser-value coin to complete their collection. For example, a possible trade could be the Dutch 20-cent coin portraying the blocky head of Queen Beatrix for Italy’s 5-cent coin featuring the 2000-year-old Roman Colosseum.

Many coins are not engraved with their country’s name or are hard to decipher, so here are a few hints to help you identify what land you have in your hand. Try to find:

Edelweiss (2¢) or Mozart (1€) for Austria

Funny-looking guy wearing glasses for Belgium

The Turkish word Kibris meaning Cyprus

RF (Republic of France) for France

A cloudberry flower (2€), flying swans (1€), or a lion wielding a sword for Finland

An eagle, the Brandenburg Gate, or oak leaves for Germany

A harp for Ireland

RI (Republic of Italy) for Italy

Lëtzebuerg for Luxembourg

Nederlanden for Netherlands

España for Spain

To read more about the euro, click here for the European Central Bank’s Web site.

On January 1, 2002, Europeans were not only nursing their hangovers, they were taking part in the most ambitious currency swap in history. Twelve nations — incorporating some 300-million people — threw their historic monies into the kiln to forge a common European currency: the euro (symbol: € — 1€ = 100 cents), a legal tender that will enhance established trade, encourage new deals, and rival the U.S. dollar.

LAS VEGAS

Berlin, Germany