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Comment by frb | Hacker News Reader

> I wonder why do we need new notes...

Every redesign introduces new (secret) watermarks, patterns that are hard to copy, so it's also a "tech" update. Eventually more and more of the details become public. By now the current banknotes are too well known and I guess the counterfeits are getting too close.

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> Every redesign introduces new (secret) watermarks, patterns that are hard to copy, so it's also a "tech" update. Eventually more and more of the details become public. By now the current banknotes are too well known and I guess the counterfeits are getting too close.

But if I wanted to create counterfeit euro bank notes I could just go with the old ones, no?

Anyway, I think creating new designs just for fun is a good enough reason for me to create new notes.

The old ones get pulled out of circulation and usually stop being accepted at most places, or at least get more scrutiny.

The original euro banknotes were replaced between 2013 and 2019 and are still accepted everywhere you can use the new ones.

Old bank notes are not in circulation forever. They are accounted for by serial numbers. Banks and ATMs can process the serials and designs and report them. Eventually bank notes get pulled out of circulation. So an old bank note is by default suspicious and gets checked more thoroughly. Counterfeiters mostly benefit by blending in with the masses, so having some old note can raise suspicion.

Maybe it is also just fun...

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