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Old Euro banknotes: Are they still valid?

old Euro banknotes 1st Series

The rollout of the Second Series of Euro banknotes was completed in May 2019. The First Series of Euro banknotes from €5 to €500, issued since 2002, is being replaced by the newer set of euro banknotes from €5 to €200. Are the old Euro banknotes still valid, and how can you exchange them? Read on to find out.

Which old Euro banknotes have been replaced by new Euro banknotes?

The following banknotes from the First Series of Euro banknotes have been replaced by newer Euro banknotes from the Second Series:

The rollout of the Second Euro banknotes series has been completed in May 2019.new euro banknotes second seriesold Euro banknotes 1st Series

What about 500 Euro banknotes?

The European Central Bank has decided not to include a €500 euro banknote in the Second Series of Euro banknotes. The €500 Euro banknotes will no longer be issued and they are no longer in circulation since 2019.500 euro banknotes

Are old Euro banknotes from the First Series still valid?

The old Euro banknotes from the First Series remain valid, and they can be spent without problems in the Eurozone.

When purchasing Euro banknotes, many British customers prefer to only receive Euro banknotes from the Second Series. For this reason, some bureaux de change in the UK may not accept Euro banknotes from the First Series from their customers.

€500 euro banknotes from the First Series are still valid but they are being withdrawn from circulation. Most bureaux de change in the UK don’t accept €500 euro banknotes for exchange.

Are old Euro banknotes from the First Series still legal tender?

Yes. The old Euro banknotes from the First Series remain legal tender. They have the same value as the equivalent banknotes of the Second Series of Euro banknotes. Both types of banknotes circulate alongside each other in the Eurozone.

The 500 euro banknote also remains legal tender, but it is more difficult to spend them, as most vendors in the Eurozone don’t accept €500 notes for payments.

How can I exchange old Euro banknotes?

Do you still have some old Euro banknotes from the First Series? It’s easy to exchange old Euro banknotes using our online exchange service for Euro banknotes. In addition to the First Series Euro banknotes and the discontinued €500 euro banknotes, we also exchange euro coins and eurocent coins.

What is the exchange deadline for old Euro banknotes?

So far, no exchange deadline has yet been set for the exchange of old Euro banknotes from the First Series.

Author

Mario Van Poppel

Mario Van Poppel is the founder and director of Leftover Currency. What started as a hobby, collecting world banknotes, evolved into a fulltime job, running a successful online bureau de change. Mario is still a collector of pre-Euro banknotes and a member of the IBNS.