I’m sure a lot of you have already heard that saying since you were young. I for one, have. Money is something we can’t live without. We need it to buy our necessities like food, clothes, shelter and the likes. We need money in order for businesses and companies to survive and thrive. However, about 5,000 years ago, people didn’t have money. They used the trade and barter system where they offer goods or services in exchange for other goods and services that they need but didn’t have.
Fast forward to 600BC, money was invented. This changed the game. You no longer need to trade your property for something else, simply buy a product or service and pay the seller its monetary equivalent. All around the world, every country has established their own currencies which are defined by their governments.
The currency used in Italy is Euro. It is also used by 19 out of the 27 EU member countries. The name was adopted in December 16, 1995 after a Belgian Esperantist named Germain Pirlot wrote a letter to then President of the European Commission, Jacques Santer, suggesting to change the name of the currency to “Euro”. Now, have you thought about the Euro currency sign? The European Commission chose the design created by a Belgian graphic designer, Alain Billiet. According to the European
Commission, “the inspiration for the € symbol itself came from the Greek epsilon (Є)– a reference to the cradle of European civilization – and the first letter of the word Europe, crossed by two parallel lines to ‘certify’ the stability of the euro.”
The art printed on both sides of the Euro banknotes were designed by Austrian graphic designer at the National Bank of Austria, Robert Kalina. The series called “Ages and Styles of Europe” was chosen by the Council of the European Money Institute in a competition in December of 1996.
In May 2013, Euro banknotes were given a makeover by an independent banknote designer based in Berlin, Reinhold Gerstetter, as the European Central Bank imposes a new design every seven or eight years. The new series was called “Europa” and it is more durable than the previous series. It also got a more advanced security features to avoid fraud and counterfeit.
What’s fascinating about the new series is that they have thought to consider what other countries did not—the visually impaired. The European Blind Union was consulted for the Europa series to meet the requirements for the people with impaired sight.
Here are the following features:
- Different sizes of the banknotes – the bigger the value, the larger the note.
- The banknotes have contrasting and striking colors. The €5 note is grey, the €10 note red, the €20 note blue, the €50 note orange, the €100 note green, the €200 note yellow-brown and the €500 note is purple.
- Larger numerals for the denomination.
- Raised print.
- Tactile marks on the €200 and €500 of the first series and on all the notes of the Europa series.
The following notes also has architectural designs on it none of which are actual existing establishments. The styles on each banknote are:
- €5: Classical
- €10: Romanesque
- €20: Gothic
- €50: Renaissance
- €100: Baroque and Rococo
- €200: 19th Century Iron and Glass Architecture
The Euro coins have eight denominations. The common side of each was designed by Luc Luycx of the Royal Belgian Mint. The national sides were designed by the National Central Banks of the Eurozone in separate competitions. Eurozone or Euro Area is a monetary union of the 19 member states of the European Union that accepts Euro as their legal tender and primary currency.
If you’ll notice, the coins have different compositions. The 1, 2 and 5 cents are made up of copper-covered steel. The 10, 20 and 50 cents are Nordic gold. The 1 Euro coin has an outer layer of nickel brass and an inner layer of copper-nickel. The 2 Euro coins have the reversed aesthetics of the 1 Euro coin.
Each coin and banknote have different “personalities” and appeal. They tell stories of how a nation grew from its roots. They show how nations can be diverse yet united. Most currencies showcase the different styles, architecture and culture of their country. All this can be shared through money.
What is the currency used in your country? Tell us about it in the comments below! Remember, La ricchezza non è chi la fa, ma chi la gode.