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4.5 Euro notes and coins

Euro banknotes
The euro and the European UnionThe seven Euro banknotes depict the theme "Ages and styles of Europe". Each of the notes has gateways and windows on its front and bridges on the back designed in a specific architectural style. Gateways and windows are intended to symbolise the European spirit of openness and co-operation, whereas bridges symbolise the close co-operation and communication between Europe and the rest of the world.

The 5 euro note represents the classical architectural style, the 10 euro note has a romanesque design, the 20 euro note has a gothic motif, the 50 euro note represents the renaissance period, the 100 euro note depicts the baroque and rococo periods, the 200 euro note displays iron and glass architecture and the 500 euro note depicts modern 20th Century architecture.

5 euro note (front)   5 Euro (€5)   5 euro note (back)
10 euro note (front)   10 Euro (€10)   10 euro note (back)
20 euro note (front)   20 Euro (€20)   20 euro note (back)
50 euro note (front)   50 Euro (€50)   50 euro note (back)
100 euro note (front)   100 Euro (€100)   100 euro note (back)
200 euro note (front)   200 Euro (€200)   200 euro note (back)
500 euro note (front)   500 Euro (€500)   500 euro note (back)


German euro coins
The eight denominations of coins vary in size, colour and thickness according to their values. Alongside the one and two euro coins, there are six coins of the smaller denomination the cent (der Cent). One hundred cents are equal to one euro.

The front of each coin features one of three designs common to all twelve euro area countries showing different maps of Europe surrounded by the twelve stars of the European Union. The reverse side of each coin shows individual designs relating to the respective member state. (Euro coins can of course be used anywhere in the euro area, regardless of their national sides.)

The one and two euro coins have the eagle, the traditional symbol of German sovereignty on the back. The 10, 20 and 50 cent coins have the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. The 1, 2 and 5 cent coins have an oak twig on the reverse - a symbol of continuity, as this motif was also to be found on the German pfennig coins which have just been phased out.

1 cent coin (front)   1 Cent   1 cent coin (back)
2 cent coin (front)   2 Cent   2 cent coin (back)
5 cent coin (front)   5 Cent   5 cent coin (back)
10 cent coin (front)   10 Cent   10 cent coin (back)
20 cent coin (front)   20 Cent   20 cent coin (back)
20 cent coin (front)   50 Cent   20 cent coin (back)
1 euro coin (front)   1 Euro (€1)   1 euro coin (back)
2 euro coin (front)   2 Euro (€2)   2 euro coin (back)



How to express the euro notes and coins in German
Click here to listen to the vocabulary being spoken!Compound nouns are used in German to translate items such as a "five euro note" or a "two cent piece". Such nouns begin with a capital letter and their gender is determined by the final element of the compound noun. (Click on the sound icon to hear these nouns being spoken.)

The German word for a banknote is der Schein (-e) and the word for a coin is die Münze (-n). When describing specific denominations of coin however, das Stück (-e) is used in German compound nouns instead of "die Münze". It literally means "piece" in the same way as the English "twenty pence piece".

der Schein (-e)
(note) 
   die Münze (-n)
(coin) 
das Eurostück (-e)
(one euro coin) 
   das Centstück (-e)
(one cent coin) 
das Zweieurostück (-e)
(two euro coin) 
   das Zweicentstück (-e)
(two cent coin) 
der Fünfeuroschein (-e)
(five euro note) 
   das Fünfcentstück (-e)
(five cent coin) 
der Zehneuroschein (-e)
(ten euro note) 
   das Zehncentstück (-e)
(ten cent coin) 
der Zwanzigeuroschein (-e)
(twenty euro note) 
   das Zwanzigcentstück (-e)
(twenty cent coin) 
der Fünfzigeuroschein (-e)
(fifty euro note) 
   das Fünfzigcentstück (-e)
(fifty cent coin) 
der Hunderteuroschein (-e)
(hundred euro note) 
der Zweihunderteuroschein (-e)
(two hundred euro note) 

Test yourself!
You can test yourself on your knowledge on the euro by clicking on the games below:


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