NationStates Jolt Archive

This particularly goes for those who use the euro, although those that often handle euros are welcome to comment. Anyhow, my mom is going on a trip to Italy in a few weeks to visit relatives. We ordered some euros from the AAA (don't bother asking how many), and I was looking at them. For being one of the world's strong currencies, I was shocked beyond belief.
It looked like Monopoly money. They had a watermark on each bill, but no other anti-counterfeit measures I could see. The banknotes felt like very thin parchment, not like money paper. Worse yet, they had little on them.
Okay, I got that rant out. Anyhow, I just wanted to know if Europeans like euro banknotes and coins (which I have yet to see).

They had a watermark on each bill, but no other anti-counterfeit measures I could see. .

Much more: profile, reflecting aso.Allthough there are allready fakes it is still the most difficult to counterfeit (but I think you've to google it for all specifications). The $ of course is still the most easy to counterfeit because compared to € notes it is low tech.

Would have liked real monuments instead of the styles (Roman, Gothic aso.) But I think that the coins like those from Germany, Austria, Ireland, Portugal, Finland and some others are very beautifull).

But I think you just posted this not for the interset but as a continuation of your anti EU posts. Or are you really interested in the subject?

I think that there will never be any money that you can not counterfeit.

Much more: profile, reflecting aso.Allthough there are allready fakes it is still the most difficult to counterfeit (but I think you've to google it for all specifications). The $ of course is still the most easy to counterfeit because compared to € notes it is low tech.

Would have liked real monuments instead of the styles (Roman, Gothic aso.) But I think that the coins like those from Germany, Austria, Ireland, Portugal, Finland and some others are very beautifull).

But I think you just posted this not for the interset but as a continuation of your anti EU posts. Or are you really interested in the subject?

I think that there will never be any money that you can counterfeit.
Continuation of my anti-EU posts? You must live in la-la-land. I want the EU to succeed. No, I'm not a run of the mill conservative (although I will admit that France is my least favorite in all of Europe).
Anyhow, this isn't anti EU. I was just remarking how it looked like play money. And indeed, only ten years ago were the dollars low tech, but every few years, the dollars get a new face lift. This time around, they have splashes of blue and orange, mutiple water markes, some extremely small print in a yellow most printers can't reproduce, and my favorite feature: on one of the corner numbers, it's green when you look at it straight on, but brown when you look at it from any other angle.

This time around, they have splashes of blue and orange, mutiple water markes, some extremely small print in a yellow most printers can't reproduce, and my favorite feature: on one of the corner numbers, it's green when you look at it straight on, but brown when you look at it from any other angle.


All things that allready exist on Euros and the reflection (when you look at it from another angle) is in different collors.

I know I'm going off topic, but...speaking of counterfeiting, has anyone ever heard of the counterfeit Japanese note that cost most to counterfeit than its face value?

Anyway, there hasn't been any newspaper article about the euro banknotes being hated and all (as far as I can remember), so I think uh...it's still generally accepted. :P

I live outside of the EU though, heh. :P

This particularly goes for those who use the euro, although those that often handle euros are welcome to comment. Anyhow, my mom is going on a trip to Italy in a few weeks to visit relatives. We ordered some euros from the AAA (don't bother asking how many), and I was looking at them. For being one of the world's strong currencies, I was shocked beyond belief.
It looked like Monopoly money. They had a watermark on each bill, but no other anti-counterfeit measures I could see. The banknotes felt like very thin parchment, not like money paper. Worse yet, they had little on them.
Okay, I got that rant out. Anyhow, I just wanted to know if Europeans like euro banknotes and coins (which I have yet to see).
I don't really like it either. But I guess it's all newness. Colours very bright and everything.

And there are (I think some one told me once) over 20 anti-counterfeit measures. Most of which you can't see as a layman. Max of 5 of which are tested in stores.

a bit unexpected, maybe:

http://english.pravda.ru/main/18/88/351/13771_counterfeit.html

coins (which I have yet to see).

The coins are great! They are different from every country. Italy has especially good motives (the man-figure in the circle of Leonardo da Vinci on the 1, Dante Alighieri on the 2, the rest does look good, too). Since the coins are valid throughout EU-zone, however, you will also see very many from other countries (osmosis, y'know!).

The coins are great! They are different from every country. Italy has especially good motives (the man-figure in the circle of Leonardo da Vinci on the 1, Dante Alighieri on the 2, the rest does look good, too). Since the coins are valid throughout EU-zone, however, you will also see very many from other countries (osmosis, y'know!).
that's right... that's really good, all those different coinbacks. I'm always thinking: "Where did this euro come from?"

Money is money. I don't have a particular love or dislike for the Euro's design.

This particularly goes for those who use the euro, although those that often handle euros are welcome to comment. Anyhow, my mom is going on a trip to Italy in a few weeks to visit relatives. We ordered some euros from the AAA (don't bother asking how many), and I was looking at them. For being one of the world's strong currencies, I was shocked beyond belief.
It looked like Monopoly money. They had a watermark on each bill, but no other anti-counterfeit measures I could see. The banknotes felt like very thin parchment, not like money paper. Worse yet, they had little on them.
Okay, I got that rant out. Anyhow, I just wanted to know if Europeans like euro banknotes and coins (which I have yet to see).What? I hope you are not US-American, for there is no money in the world easier to be faked than US-Dollars. The Euro bills instead feature a whole bunch of measures.
BTW what is even more interesting than the bills are the coins. One side of the coins is the same all over Europe while the other side is designed by the respective countries themselves. So is has become a hobby of some to collect all the different coins.

(although I will admit that France is my least favorite in all of Europe).
So, what's your problem with France?
You don't like the tour eiffel?

I think the Euro notes and coins are really stylish. Great images and colours, fantastic looking notes. I can't wait for us to start having to use them in the UK. Bring on the referendum!

US dollars are interesting in the symbology dimension but that's about it. All the same shape, size and colour. All the ones I've handled have been cut badly as well. Borders different between one 1$ bill and the next. On top of that the paper's just not up to scratch.

But for play-money nothing beats the old Dutch Guilder notes. They were simple and pretty... But simple. ;)

I liked the look of the good old DM more. But I have become used to it. I like the back-side of the notes with the map of Europe. The idea of having different styles of architecture on the notes is a good one. However it may be considered to redesign them a bit.
The Euro has by the way many security features. You just have to look at it more closely. However that is a thing were improvements have to be made when a new series is printed (which has to happen from time to time anyway).
I like the coins more than the notes. The map of Europe is on the front accompanied by the twelve stars at the outside circle. And national symbols are at the back. That refers to the nations: In Germany it is a grass on the 1,2,5 Cent (like before on the Pfennig), the Brandenburg Gate on the 10, 20, 50 Cent coin and the European sea-eagle (our national bird) on the 1 and 2 Euro-Coin.
What is also great is that every country has its own national style at the back of the coins. That is really great for collecting.
That is not the case on the notes. Would be too dangerous since it would make it too easy for evil-doers to print false Euros. That needed to be harmonized. But on the coins it is no problem. And I like this diversity.

The Euros look great, especially the coins.

I like the euro notes and coins. They are clear and crisp in design. Of course, they feature little to text, as it would have to appear in two many languages to be practical (or attractive).
I just wished that we here had voted yes in our referendum last year to enter the €. Although, kronor notes are quite attractive also.
http://www.riksbank.se/upload/Bilder_riksbank/Kat_sedlar_mynt/samtliga_gilitga.jpg

I like the euro notes and coins. They are clear and crisp in design. Of course, they feature little to text, as it would have to appear in two many languages to be practical (or attractive).
I just wished that we here had voted yes in our referendum last year to enter the €. Although, kronor notes are quite attractive also.
http://www.riksbank.se/upload/Bilder_riksbank/Kat_sedlar_mynt/samtliga_gilitga.jpg

There's nothing attractive about Kronor.

I'm Australian, and the Euro currency is very PC with not much to offend anyone compared to the Masonic/Satanic symbolism on the US currency.

I like the euro notes and coins. They are clear and crisp in design. Of course, they feature little to text, as it would have to appear in two many languages to be practical (or attractive).
I just wished that we here had voted yes in our referendum last year to enter the €. Although, kronor notes are quite attractive also.
http://www.riksbank.se/upload/Bilder_riksbank/Kat_sedlar_mynt/samtliga_gilitga.jpg
Nice and really colourful.
I wouldn´t mind taking important historic figures (scientists, writers, e.g.) on the notes. The problem is that we would never been able to agree which one. So: to chose styles of architecture was a good choice. Though the design can be disputed. They were many different modells of design. I visited the money museum of the Bundesbank in Frankfurt recently - which also had a collection of the different alternativ modells for the design of the Euro. Unfortunately I don´t know whether they have something on the internet about it. The current version is actually one of the best collections in my view. Though I wouldn´t say that any modell was perfect. I actually prefered the architonic features of some other modells more on some notes more than the chosen once. On the other hand they had disadvantages as well. So: personally I would very likely voted note per note for different modells instead of following the modell of one designer on the entire collection.
There is text on the notes actually: aside Euro in Latin letters and in Greece (I wonder if they put Kyril letters on it if the first Kyrill alphabetic country joins the Euro?) it has the abreviations for European Central Bank on it (BCE, ECB, EZB, EKP). I don´t see that more text is needed. The abreviations are enough in my view. Though I liked the printed signature of the Bundesbank-president we had on our notes, though. There actually would be space for it at the white field on the left of the notes. Well: just an idea for a new series.
It is completly common to change the design a bit between the different series. The old DM notes of the 50s or 60s also looked different to those of the 90s. That is natural and necessary. Especially it always needs more security features.

I'm Australian, and the Euro currency is very PC with not much to offend anyone compared to the Masonic/Satanic symbolism on the US currency.
Why do you say that? Because it says "In God we trust"?
I don´t see anything bad on the greenback.

Why do you say that? Because it says "In God we trust"?
I don´t see anything bad on the greenback.

Read this
http://www.geocities.com/endtimedeception/seal.htm

It's religious, but the symbolism on the $1 bill is not Christian.

The coins are great! They are different from every country. Italy has especially good motives (the man-figure in the circle of Leonardo da Vinci on the 1, Dante Alighieri on the 2, the rest does look good, too). Since the coins are valid throughout EU-zone, however, you will also see very many from other countries (osmosis, y'know!).
I've heard they are different than for each country. Unfortunatly, my mom is staying just in Italy, but I wish she brings back some coins. It'd be my luck if the dollar suddenly collapsed overnight, making my euros worth more :). BTW, how high are the denominations in coins? Here, they are just $0.25. Those going to fifty cents do exist, and occasionally, the Mint mints a dollar coin (always in a different design). But I've seen some currencies go up to two dollars in their coins.

Why do you say that? Because it says "In God we trust"?
I don´t see anything bad on the greenback.
That pyramid with the eye on it is quite interesting. Plus the words "novus seclorum ordem", which translates into new secular order. It contradicts "In God We Trust".

I'm Australian, and the Euro currency is very PC with not much to offend anyone compared to the Masonic/Satanic symbolism on the US currency.
However, there's a small but growing movement in Congress to try to change the back to an abridged version of the US Constitution. That'd probably be better for us all, rather than having to look at some creepy pyramid. Now, where have pyramids shown up in US history?

That pyramid with the eye on it is quite interesting.
Isn't that supposed to be the sign of the Illuminati?

That pyramid with the eye on it is quite interesting. Plus the words "novus seclorum ordem", which translates into new secular order. It contradicts "In God We Trust".
That is indeed very interesting. Well: it is for you to make up your mind which suits you better. Certainly President Bush would prefer to keep "In God we trust" rather than the other one. Many wrong things are said about him. But I think it is fair too say that he is certainly not an advocat for further secularisation. Well: religious reference play a much bigger role in US politics anyway than in Continental Europe. At least today.

Isn't that supposed to be the sign of the Illuminati?
Yes, actually. Interestingly enough, the Illuminati was founded in 1776, the same year that we declared our indepence. It was also the same year Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations.
Anyhow, the Illuminati were arrested en masses a few years later for allegedly plotting a massive overthrow on several monarchies in Europe. To this day, some believe that they were partially responsible for the American and French revolutions. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the Founding Framers were Illuminati. Ben Franklin would be my prime candidate. He was the one that lived in France for most of the war, and was the most scientific. He could've easily be drawn to that group.

However, there's a small but growing movement in Congress to try to change the back to an abridged version of the US Constitution. That'd probably be better for us all, rather than having to look at some creepy pyramid. Now, where have pyramids shown up in US history?
Well: you habe the obelisk (sp?) in Washington and a "pyramid" in Los Angeles. Nice skyscraper by the way.
The interesting thing about the Egyptians is that the pyramid (with contains four triangles) in a way prejudiced the "trinity principle" of christianity.
The greecs didn´t build pyramids. But you actually find a "pyramid" as roof of their temples. While the "normal" buildings had a flat top many houses today have a "pyramid" at the the top, actually.
Well: that has more practical reasons.
But you can of course construe some theories about the symbolic meaning of it.

That is indeed very interesting. Well: it is for you to make up your mind which suits you better. Certainly President Bush would prefer to keep "In God we trust" rather than the other one. Many wrong things are said about him. But I think it is fair too say that he is certainly not an advocat for further secularisation. Well: religious reference play a much bigger role in US politics anyway than in Continental Europe. At least today.
The dollar bill is full of contradictions like that, but thankfully, it's only that bill. All the rest have some landmark on the back, and they all say "In God We Trust". Most people don't notice because they can't read latin. Scire quamquam possum.

Well: you habe the obelisk (sp?) in Washington and a "pyramid" in Los Angeles. Nice skyscraper by the way.
The interesting thing about the Egyptians is that the pyramid (with contains four triangles) in a way prejudiced the "trinity principle" of christianity.
The greecs didn´t build pyramids. But you actually find a "pyramid" as roof of their temples. While the "normal" buildings had a flat top many houses today have a "pyramid" at the the top, actually.
Well: that has more practical reasons.
But you can of course construe some theories about the symbolic meaning of it.
The pyramid, btw, is in San Fransico, and was privately built (I think it was for Bank of America, which is a private firm). The obelisk has always baffled me, but I sorta like it. It compliments the surrounding architecture and monuments, and I believe that Washington is the most perfectly designed city in North America.

I've heard they are different than for each country. Unfortunatly, my mom is staying just in Italy, but I wish she brings back some coins. It'd be my luck if the dollar suddenly collapsed overnight, making my euros worth more :). BTW, how high are the denominations in coins? Here, they are just $0.25. Those going to fifty cents do exist, and occasionally, the Mint mints a dollar coin (always in a different design). But I've seen some currencies go up to two dollars in their coins.
0.01 & 0.02 (governments either never had them, or are trying to abolish them)
0.05 0.10 0.20 0.50 1.00 2.00
bills 5,10,20,50,100,200,500

This particularly goes for those who use the euro, although those that often handle euros are welcome to comment. Anyhow, my mom is going on a trip to Italy in a few weeks to visit relatives. We ordered some euros from the AAA (don't bother asking how many), and I was looking at them. For being one of the world's strong currencies, I was shocked beyond belief.
It looked like Monopoly money. They had a watermark on each bill, but no other anti-counterfeit measures I could see. The banknotes felt like very thin parchment, not like money paper. Worse yet, they had little on them.
Okay, I got that rant out. Anyhow, I just wanted to know if Europeans like euro banknotes and coins (which I have yet to see).

"It looked like Monopoly money"
"No other anti-counterfeit measures I could see"

I think you aren't very fond of the money. You only saw what you wanted to see. The euro has been secured far better than US dollars, maybe you didn't notice the little reflecting stroke? Anyhow, I think you're very fond of your own culture, that much even, that you can't even imagine that other countries use other colors than "the green" to make money. The american's interest in foreign news is about the lowest of all countries in the world. Did you know that other countries have flags with different colors than white, blue and red? And that some countries haven't got a president? Oh my lord, there are even countries without Mac Donalds! (but that wont take long I guess).

I like our currency, but I still think in good old Francs or in "amount of beers".

So you don't like France...

I wonder why Americans always laugh at the "Frogs". It is being spooned in when they still are a child. Laugh at the French. Its maybe because, without the help of the French army they would have never won their independence from the English. Yes the american people didn't won their independence on their own! Must be quite a kick in some American's patriotic balls.

About that masonic sign on the Dollars. Masonics were often enlightened souls. The church was fiercely against masonry and many fled to America together with protestants and non-believers. They started a nation that should have been built upon their "non religious" tolerant and enlightened beliefs, but ehm now America harbours a lot of very extreme christians. And religion has infected even their governemt. Always talking about God this and God that.

The dollar bill is full of contradictions like that, but thankfully, it's only that bill. All the rest have some landmark on the back, and they all say "In God We Trust". Most people don't notice because they can't read latin. Scire quamquam possum.
I can´t read Latin as well: For some reason I´ve chosen French instead. I think I did it because it is still a living language. Well: I hated it as much as Latin anyway.
Though I know a few expressions. I need to since we have Roman law.
In dubio pro reo - In doubt for the accused. Well you would say: Innocent until proven guilty.
Nulla sine poena lege - No punishment without law.
And the rest comes from Asterix comics, hehe.
Ave Ceasar, morituri tes salutans (sp?).

0.01 & 0.02 (governments either never had them, or are trying to abolish them)
0.05 0.10 0.20 0.50 1.00 2.00
bills 5,10,20,50,100,200,500
Up to 500?! Here, it goes only up to 100. But I shouldn't be shocked. In 1969, there was the $100,000 bill, but that was only used in transactions between banks.

Yes, actually. Interestingly enough, the Illuminati was founded in 1776, the same year that we declared our indepence. It was also the same year Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations.
Anyhow, the Illuminati were arrested en masses a few years later for allegedly plotting a massive overthrow on several monarchies in Europe. To this day, some believe that they were partially responsible for the American and French revolutions. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the Founding Framers were Illuminati. Ben Franklin would be my prime candidate. He was the one that lived in France for most of the war, and was the most scientific. He could've easily be drawn to that group.
Well, Washington was a member of the Freemasons. Maybe so was Franklin.
The Skull and Bones order was supposedly modeld after the Illuminati. But I doubt that they had anything to do with the rebellion.

I can´t read Latin as well: For some reason I´ve chosen French instead. I think I did it because it is still a living language. Well: I hated it as much as Latin anyway.
Though I know a few expressions. I need to since we have Roman law.
In dubio pro reo - In doubt for the accused. Well you would say: Innocent until proven guilty.
Nulla sine poena lege - No punishment without law.
And the rest comes from Asterix comics, hehe.
Ave Ceasar, morituri tes salutans (sp?).
I know, I regret that decision sorely. Latin has different syntax than any other language. It relies on suffixes, not word order. It makes it very mathematical, and to let you in on a dirty little secret, I suck at math.

0.01 & 0.02 (governments either never had them, or are trying to abolish them)
0.05 0.10 0.20 0.50 1.00 2.00
bills 5,10,20,50,100,200,500
You are wrong about the 1 and 2 cent. That is mainly an Scandinavian discussion. Germany always had 1 and 2 cent and people want the change. Everything else would lead to higher prices. Forget about abolishing them. You would need unanimity for it in the EU. That is never going to happen as long as Germany has a vote in the EU. Life with it.

Well, Washington was a member of the Freemasons. Maybe so was Franklin.
The Skull and Bones order was supposedly modeld after the Illuminati. But I doubt that they had anything to do with the rebellion.
Oh no. They're just an alumni group. At worst, they are a continuation of the WASPs (white anglo-saxon protestant) that formed the elites on the East Coast a hundred years ago. But I won't go as far as to call them dangerous.

Oh no. They're just an alumni group. At worst, they are a continuation of the WASPs (white anglo-saxon protestant) that formed the elites on the East Coast a hundred years ago. But I won't go as far as to call them dangerous.
Sure.....

Sure.....
I've heard enough conspiracy theories to make me sick. They either center around the Skull and Bones, or some form of a Jewish takeover. I'm surprised I haven't heard that both George Bush and John Kerry are aliens from Zoiper, trying to take over the world.

I like the Euro, it's certainly much nicer than the Bank of England £, but I wouldn't say it was the most attractive note either. I prefer many of the Scottish £ notes to the Euro.

I've heard enough conspiracy theories to make me sick. They either center around the Skull and Bones, or some form of a Jewish takeover. I'm surprised I haven't heard that both George Bush and John Kerry are aliens from Zoiper, trying to take over the world.

are they!
ohw my god!
WERE ALL GONA DIE!!!!!!!

I am wondering, btw, if Adam Smith was associate with the Masons or Illuminati. It seems like a great coincidence that he'd create this economic concept, and a nation dedicated to pursuing it was born that same year.
But anyhow, I want to say that we shouldn't get the Masons and Illuminati confused. The Masons may be secretive, but they are quite benevolent. The Illuminati was, by its nature, violent, and it hijacked the Masonic movement.

Well, I might as well state my opinion on our good ole greenbacks: I hate 'em. There's no point to them. They're just a portrait of some white dude that is dead and gone, and worse yet, they change every few years. First, it is the normal greenbacks that everyone says is easy to counterfeit. Then come a little more advanced ones. Now they are rolling out ones that I feel are the solution to counterfeiting: they aren't green, but blue and peach. So far, only the $20 bill looks like that, but there are designs planned for the others. They look like the hardest yet to counterfeit, too.
The coins are somewhat interesting. Even though they themselves rarely change, the Mint has issued quarters with their tail side commemorating every state, with five a year in order that they entered the union. They also occaisonally issue dollars. I have one with the face of Ike, Susan B. Anthony, and Sacaqueweah (sp?). But they do that only once every decade or so.

I know, I regret that decision sorely. Latin has different syntax than any other language. It relies on suffixes, not word order. It makes it very mathematical, and to let you in on a dirty little secret, I suck at math.
Don´t worry. I was only average (or sometimes a little above it) at maths. But not as bad as at French. I dropped it when it was possible after grade 11.
I have to say that the teacher the Latin group had was really a dragon: a female dragon.
I don´t think I would have been better in Latin than I was in French. I prefer germanic languages over the romanic onces. Latin has a nasty grammer actually. 6 gramatical cases instead of the four modern western languages have (Nominativ, Genitiv, Dativ, Accusativ).
People use to think that old language are easier than today. The opposite seems to be true. Languages get more easy.
Rationalisation seems to be the development. English seems to be most advanced in that respect since you have almost no endings (except he/she/it and certain plural forms). But compare it to French or German. And the nasty thing is: There are of course not the same endings in French or German and they use to be very irregular and they are many exceptions. Even the use of to be and to have differs a lot. The French say: J´ai .. ans" - I have ... years. I wouldn´t like to learn German if it wasn´t my native tongue. You certainly need longer for it than to learn English. Well: at least to do it without a bunch of mistakes with the endings. My English teacher - an slightly overweight American lady from Southern California - who was living in Germany certainly for a decade or so still did mistakes with the endings when she rarely explained something in German.
The nasty thing about English are the number of tenses: 21 I´ve heared. Well: that includes many grammatical constructions who are rarely used and which I can´t remember at all. But even the commonly used tenses are more than in other languages like German. That is nasty. Well: and the conditionals.
But in many ways the English language is more rationalized than other languages.

Nice and really colourful.
I wouldn´t mind taking important historic figures (scientists, writers, e.g.) on the notes. The problem is that we would never been able to agree which one. So: to chose styles of architecture was a good choice. Though the design can be disputed. They were many different modells of design. I visited the money museum of the Bundesbank in Frankfurt recently - which also had a collection of the different alternativ modells for the design of the Euro. Unfortunately I don´t know whether they have something on the internet about it. The current version is actually one of the best collections in my view. Though I wouldn´t say that any modell was perfect. I actually prefered the architonic features of some other modells more on some notes more than the chosen once. On the other hand they had disadvantages as well. So: personally I would very likely voted note per note for different modells instead of following the modell of one designer on the entire collection.
There is text on the notes actually: aside Euro in Latin letters and in Greece (I wonder if they put Kyril letters on it if the first Kyrill alphabetic country joins the Euro?) it has the abreviations for European Central Bank on it (BCE, ECB, EZB, EKP). I don´t see that more text is needed. The abreviations are enough in my view. Though I liked the printed signature of the Bundesbank-president we had on our notes, though. There actually would be space for it at the white field on the left of the notes. Well: just an idea for a new series.
It is completly common to change the design a bit between the different series. The old DM notes of the 50s or 60s also looked different to those of the 90s. That is natural and necessary. Especially it always needs more security features.

Yes, I didn't say there was NO text, just that there is very little. Which, is understandable - if you wanted to write 'European Central Bank' in all the EU languages, it would up rather a lot of the note!

The one thing I don't like (and yes, this is really picky!) is how Norway is missed off the map on some of the coins. I know Norway isn't in EU. Also, because of this it makes Scandinavia look weird, and in some ways kinda rude (get a 1 € coin and have a look!).

I wonder what Sweden (and Britain and Danmark for that matter) would put on its national side of the coin IF we ever enter EMU...!! I suppose we would have to put the King on at least one of the coins. Maybe the Three Crowns on another? ...And how about a branch of IKEA and Abba on some more :D .

You are wrong about the 1 and 2 cent. That is mainly an Scandinavian discussion. Germany always had 1 and 2 cent and people want the change. Everything else would lead to higher prices. Forget about abolishing them. You would need unanimity for it in the EU. That is never going to happen as long as Germany has a vote in the EU. Life with it.

I know that next door in Finland they definately do not have the 1 and 2 cent coins.
We don't use so much cash any more up here, a lot of transactions are done with cards and electronic means.

I know that next door in Finland they definately do not have the 1 and 2 cent coins.
We don't use so much cash any more up here, a lot of transactions are done with cards and electronic means.
They are free to do so but they should not try to force that system on other nations: We in Germany have the old proverb: Who doesn´t honour the penny doesn´t deserve the thaler or latter the Mark.
And today: Who doesn´t honour the penny doesn´t deserve the Euro.
After all: we should be realistic: getting rid of them would mean higher prices. Here most things cost something like ..,99 or ..,98. That would rather go up than down. And people are used to change and they take the change - not just I almost all people do.
If countries don´t like that the companies are free to set prices in a way that it doesn´t include such prices.
If that is the will of the customers in one country companies are going to do that.
But why trying force it on countries with a different system and tradition?
That will not do and it will not pass!

I can´t read Latin as well: For some reason I´ve chosen French instead. I think I did it because it is still a living language. Well: I hated it as much as Latin anyway.
Though I know a few expressions. I need to since we have Roman law.
In dubio pro reo - In doubt for the accused. Well you would say: Innocent until proven guilty.
Nulla sine poena lege - No punishment without law.
And the rest comes from Asterix comics, hehe.
Ave Ceasar, morituri tes salutans (sp?).

Off-topic: here's two nice Latin phrases (unconnected with Law), select the lines underneath the quote to see the translation...

Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
'How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?'

Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, as caput tuum saxum immane mittam.
'I have a catapult. Give me all your money, or I will fling an enormous rock at your head.'

I'd love to be able to speak Latin properly. There's another one about being chained to an oar... but I can't remember is. 'Caesar si viveret... something something blah'.

We aren't asking anybody to give up 1 or 2 cent coins. In Finland we use this great new invention called 'rounding' the prices up or down in order not to have to use the small coins. It doesn't necessarily mean higher prices, you know... :)

Yes, I didn't say there was NO text, just that there is very little. Which, is understandable - if you wanted to write 'European Central Bank' in all the EU languages, it would up rather a lot of the note!.
But they have the abreviation. I don´t know whether the four one stand for all languages though. But I assume that in the romanic languages the abbreviation may actually be the same (BCE). So that may stand not just for French.

The one thing I don't like (and yes, this is really picky!) is how Norway is missed off the map on some of the coins. I know Norway isn't in EU. Also, because of this it makes Scandinavia look weird, and in some ways kinda rude (get a 1 € coin and have a look!)..
Switzerland is also not there. You don´t see it on the 1 or 2 Euro coin but at the 50 cent coin. There is a "black hole" instead of the country as it is the case with Norway.

I wonder what Sweden (and Britain and Danmark for that matter) would put on its national side of the coin IF we ever enter EMU...!! I suppose we would have to put the King on at least one of the coins. Maybe the Three Crowns on another? ...And how about a branch of IKEA and Abba on some more :D .
I assume you would take the king and Britain the quenn. The Netherlands have the queen: Beatrix, Koenigen der Nerderlanden (sp?). So: the royalists don´t have to be concerned. They can keep the monarch on the coins. No problem. The Spanish have Juan Carlos, rey de Espagna on some of their coins as well (at least the 1 Euro-coin).

We aren't asking anybody to give up 1 or 2 cent coins. In Finland we use this great new invention called 'rounding' the prices up or down in order not to have to use the small coins. It doesn't necessarily mean higher prices, you know... :)
Given the fierce competition on the german market and the generally spoke small profit spans it would lead to a rounding up here. The introduction of the Euro also caused a lot of rounding ups.
And since you want to get rid of the 1 and 2 cent it means that they would rather go up from 1,99 to 2 than down to 1,95. That is realistic at least here.
And since we have the same currency now you also have to accept the 1 and 2 Cent-Coins from the other countries even if you don´t use your own.
That is the price of the currency union. You have to accept the rules even if you avoid prices that require 1 or 2 Cent coins.

I'd love to be able to speak Latin properly. There's another one about being chained to an oar... but I can't remember is. 'Caesar si viveret... something something blah'.
Alia iacta est!
Do you want a language war now?

Yes, I didn't say there was NO text, just that there is very little. Which, is understandable - if you wanted to write 'European Central Bank' in all the EU languages, it would up rather a lot of the note!

The one thing I don't like (and yes, this is really picky!) is how Norway is missed off the map on some of the coins. I know Norway isn't in EU. Also, because of this it makes Scandinavia look weird, and in some ways kinda rude (get a 1 € coin and have a look!).

I wonder what Sweden (and Britain and Danmark for that matter) would put on its national side of the coin IF we ever enter EMU...!! I suppose we would have to put the King on at least one of the coins. Maybe the Three Crowns on another? ...And how about a branch of IKEA and Abba on some more :D .
I knew somone would complain about the map, as it very roughly drawn. Being a geography buff, I hate it, and feel very sorry for those in Europe that are like me.

You have to accept the rules even if you avoid prices that require 1 or 2 Cent coins.

Oh, We have nothing against accepting small cent coins when abroad. You can use them here too. It's just that we have decided not to made em here.

What comes to accepting the rules when in monetary union... lol... we are still waiting the other countries to follow all the monetary regulations we do. Seems like it's going to be a long wait though.

Alia iacta est!
Do you want a language war now?

:headbang: :headbang: :headbang:
No. I already said I can't speak Latin, man. Your high horse isn't needed here :D

Don´t worry. I was only average (or sometimes a little above it) at maths. But not as bad as at French. I dropped it when it was possible after grade 11.
I have to say that the teacher the Latin group had was really a dragon: a female dragon.
I don´t think I would have been better in Latin than I was in French. I prefer germanic languages over the romanic onces. Latin has a nasty grammer actually. 6 gramatical cases instead of the four modern western languages have (Nominativ, Genitiv, Dativ, Accusativ).
People use to think that old language are easier than today. The opposite seems to be true. Languages get more easy.
Rationalisation seems to be the development. English seems to be most advanced in that respect since you have almost no endings (except he/she/it and certain plural forms). But compare it to French or German. And the nasty thing is: There are of course not the same endings in French or German and they use to be very irregular and they are many exceptions. Even the use of to be and to have differs a lot. The French say: J´ai .. ans" - I have ... years. I wouldn´t like to learn German if it wasn´t my native tongue. You certainly need longer for it than to learn English. Well: at least to do it without a bunch of mistakes with the endings. My English teacher - an slightly overweight American lady from Southern California - who was living in Germany certainly for a decade or so still did mistakes with the endings when she rarely explained something in German.
The nasty thing about English are the number of tenses: 21 I´ve heared. Well: that includes many grammatical constructions who are rarely used and which I can´t remember at all. But even the commonly used tenses are more than in other languages like German. That is nasty. Well: and the conditionals.
But in many ways the English language is more rationalized than other languages.
I actually heard that Latin tends to be the easiest of the ancient languages. Ancient Greek is even harder. But I can't comment that much on modern languages, as English is the only one I speak fluently. I hope to get a few more though, like Spanish. I'd really want to learn Chinese, if only because it is considered the hardest language on the planet. I like that challenge.

I knew somone would complain about the map, as it very roughly drawn. Being a geography buff, I hate it, and feel very sorry for those in Europe that are like me.
It is indeed. But it intends to show the national borders on the coins. That is really problematic since it puts gaps between countries and forces to put distance between them. The coins are just to small for this. It would have been better to show the map with the geography of Europe without national borders and without leaving out non-member countries as it is the case on the notes. That map is also much nicer and better than the one on the coins.

:No. I already said I can't speak Latin, man. Your high horse isn't needed here :D
Sad: I thought about writing something in my native tongue which you hopefully wouldn´t be able to understand. But you betrayed me of that now.

Sad: I thought about writing something in my native tongue which you hopefully wouldn´t be able to understand. But you betrayed me of that now.
What is your native language?

I am wondering, btw, if Adam Smith was associate with the Masons or Illuminati. It seems like a great coincidence that he'd create this economic concept, and a nation dedicated to pursuing it was born that same year.
But anyhow, I want to say that we shouldn't get the Masons and Illuminati confused. The Masons may be secretive, but they are quite benevolent. The Illuminati was, by its nature, violent, and it hijacked the Masonic movement.

Latin... Iluminati means "the enlightened ones". Many of the colonists were enlightened souls who looked upon the bible and religion with a rational mind. Ratio was important, God wasn't anymore. People could think for themselves and don't need Church or God to tell them what to do. Those are some of the basics of Enlightenment. And the founding fathers of the US were produce of the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment (evolved from humanism) and Masonry were both persecuted by Church on the European continent. Are you sure the Iluminati were an evil organisation and not just a word to describe every enlightened liberal that fled to North America?

Don't believe everything Robert Ludlum writes :D

What is your native language?
German.

I don't think the €uro notes look good, but the coins are cool.

So, what's your problem with France?
You don't like the tour eiffel?
No, because they were neutral in the Iraq War. Thus, they "hate" America.

"It looked like Monopoly money"
"No other anti-counterfeit measures I could see"

I think you aren't very fond of the money. You only saw what you wanted to see. The euro has been secured far better than US dollars, maybe you didn't notice the little reflecting stroke? Anyhow, I think you're very fond of your own culture, that much even, that you can't even imagine that other countries use other colors than "the green" to make money. The american's interest in foreign news is about the lowest of all countries in the world. Did you know that other countries have flags with different colors than white, blue and red? And that some countries haven't got a president? Oh my lord, there are even countries without Mac Donalds! (but that wont take long I guess).

I like our currency, but I still think in good old Francs or in "amount of beers".

So you don't like France...

I wonder why Americans always laugh at the "Frogs". It is being spooned in when they still are a child. Laugh at the French. Its maybe because, without the help of the French army they would have never won their independence from the English. Yes the american people didn't won their independence on their own! Must be quite a kick in some American's patriotic balls.

About that masonic sign on the Dollars. Masonics were often enlightened souls. The church was fiercely against masonry and many fled to America together with protestants and non-believers. They started a nation that should have been built upon their "non religious" tolerant and enlightened beliefs, but ehm now America harbours a lot of very extreme christians. And religion has infected even their governemt. Always talking about God this and God that.


Best technical post I saw here. And your feelings are correct to, Purely E's post is just a continuation of his anti EU posts. One must be a fool or not very fond of the money to understand that it is (at this moment) the most high tech in the world (FACT). Of course it still can be counterfeit, but not on the scale of other currencies. The $ can have new notes now (wich are still tecnicaly under the € note level) but they have very old notes that are still valid (and easy to counterf.) and that is again a handicape.

Oh, We have nothing against accepting small cent coins when abroad. You can use them here too. It's just that we have decided not to made em here.
What comes to accepting the rules when in monetary union... lol... we are still waiting the other countries to follow all the monetary regulations we do. Seems like it's going to be a long wait though.
That is OK.
Regarding the stability pact: Most countries are currently in breach of it. I know that you are doing better and a few countries as well though.
But the economic stagnation since 2001 has its fallouts.
Hopefully that is going to change within the next 2-3 years.

Personally I have to say that I like the coins more than the notes.
I remember how great it was to have for the first time those coins in my hands when the Starter Kits were available in December 2001.
I really like the design of the coins: they are great.
Also the national symbols on their back-side. Especially the harp of Ireland or the queen the Netherlands or the king of Spain, the duke of Luxemburg, and, and, and. It is quite interestingly. I actualy collect 50 Cent-coins. I think I almost have every of the 12 countries now.
Though of course not the Vatican and the other mini states.

No, because they were neutral in the Iraq War. Thus, they "hate" America.
Newsflash!
Most of Europe was neutral in the Iraq War.
Thus they "hate" America, too. (your conclusion)

Newsflash!
Most of Europe was neutral in the Iraq War.
Thus they "hate" America, too. (your conclusion)
Correction : most of the world hate america. Even some american citizens.

Latin has different syntax than any other language.
...no it hasn't.
ever heard of ... say... Italian? ;)

Newsflash!
Most of Europe was neutral in the Iraq War.
Thus they "hate" America, too. (your conclusion)
It depends how you define neutrality. Switzerland didn´t allow the US to use its air space. France did, Germany did. Germany also allowed the use of its territory as a starting bases for the war on Iraq and had anti-WMD units in Kuwait.
So, "neutrality" is obviously a relative thing.

Correction : most of the world hate america. Even some american citizens.
I wouldn't go that far. just blame it all on bush, most 'regular' americans are not all that disliked ;)

It depends how you define neutrality. Switzerland didn´t allow the US to use its air space. France did, Germany did. Germany also allowed the use of its territory as a starting bases for the war on Iraq and had anti-WMD units in Kuwait.
So, "neutrality" is obviously a relative thing.
Ah yes. back to good old neutral switzerland. ... I can't remember... did they allow iraq to use it's air space? cause if they did, that would make them not neutral again, wouldn't it ;)

I wouldn't go that far. just blame it all on bush, most 'regular' americans are not all that disliked ;)
I was starting with the hypotheses that being neutral in regard to the war in iraq means that you hate america. If this is the case, then 90% of the world hates america.

I was starting with the hypotheses that being neutral in regard to the war in iraq means that you hate america. If this is the case, then 90% of the world hates america.
...yes. That sounds about right ;)
But then again, america's way too powerful (economically and politically) to really hate it per se. So the rest of the world just kind of hates the US. Dislikes America strongly. Does not agree with its policies. something like that :D

Ah yes. back to good old neutral switzerland. ... I can't remember... did they allow iraq to use it's air space? cause if they did, that would make them not neutral again, wouldn't it ;)
Well, I don´t think that Iraq requested that, hehe.
Anyway: they actually refused to freeze Iraqi assets up until middle of April to demonstrate their neutrality.

Well, I don´t think that Iraq requested that, hehe.
Anyway: they actually refused to freeze Iraqi assets up until middle of April to demonstrate their neutrality.
as long as they didn't freeze any american assest up, they can proudly say they proved a point. hehe, I think it's funny how now, after the us attacked CH for not being neutral during WWII, they insist on being it 'properly' ;)

I think it's funny how now, after the us attacked CH for not being neutral during WWII, they insist on being it 'properly' ;)
Switzerland was officially neutral during World War II.
But they had to make concessions to their big northern neighbour. Otherwise the would have got invaded. What else should they have done?
I see much of the criticism against Switzerland in that respect just as unfair.

Switzerland was officially neutral during World War II.
But they had to make concessions to their big northern neighbour. Otherwise the would have got invaded. What else should they have done?
I see much of the criticism against Switzerland in that respect just as unfair.
oh, they were. but they cleverly divided neutrality into 'political' and 'economic' neutrality. while staying perfectly neutral politically, they quite profited from the war economically.
of course, it was a war and I dont' think anyone should accuse a more or less neutral nation of having done much wrong staying neutral during a war (as opposed to those who did not...)

besides... whether they made concessions to Germany or not... if the Germans had wanted to invade Switzerland, the Swiss wouldn't have stood a chance any way ;)

oh, they were. but they cleverly divided neutrality into 'political' and 'economic' neutrality. while staying perfectly neutral politically, they quite profited from the war economically.
of course, it was a war and I dont' think anyone should accuse a more or less neutral nation of having done much wrong staying neutral during a war (as opposed to those who did not...)
Well, you could accuse in the same way Finland and Romania. But they had to chose between Stalin or Hitler.
Well: and to a certain degree other countries like Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia who allied themself with Germany.
Not to speak about the Spanish "volunteers".
Well: and the axis powers themselves: the axis of evil: Berlin-Rome. Though Rome was just the junior partner of course.

like I said... it was a war. don't think anyone did everything right or we wouldn't have ended up there.

Latin has different syntax than any other language.
...no it hasn't.
ever heard of ... say... Italian? ;)

I guess every Roman language has a similar syntax? So that should be, Spanish, Portuguese, French an Roemenian too, together with Italian. I know a bit Latin, I once had to learn French at school and am learning Spanish at the moment. They seem very similar, compared to Dutch, German or English. Its easier to learn Spanish if you for instance already know French due to the similarities.

I don't think the €uro notes look good, but the coins are cool.


No, because they were neutral in the Iraq War. Thus, they "hate" America.

:D:D "If you're not with us you're against us!" said Bush unto the trembling Europeans, whilst his cape waving on the wind and his Golden S on his chest sparkling in the bright American sunlight.

Ow man, that man must have made so many new enemies.

I guess every Roman language has a similar syntax? So that should be, Spanish, Portuguese, French an Roemenian too, together with Italian. I know a bit Latin, I once had to learn French at school and am learning Spanish at the moment. They seem very similar, compared to Dutch, German or English. Its easier to learn Spanish if you for instance already know French due to the similarities.
Actually English and French have a lot of simular vocabulary since English was more influenced than other germanic language by Latin.
And the romanic languages have simularities - though Latin has - as I do remember - more cases (six instead of four). The old languages tend to be more difficult and complicated than the modern languages.
Though Latin may be easier than old Greece.

Alia iacta est!
Do you want a language war now?
ehr, unless I'm mistaking, wasn't it "alea, eacta est" ?

:D:D "If you're not with us you're against us!" said Bush unto the trembling Europeans, whilst his cape waving on the wind and his Golden S on his chest sparkling in the bright American sunlight.
Ow man, that man must have made so many new enemies.
This statement was directed towards the regimes of the middle east in order to make clear to them that their tolerance to terrorism, funding of terrorism and hate-speech calling for a dschihad against the west has to stop. They have to make a choice. The double-gaming has to be ended which many countries have done and - most likely - are still doing. That is especially the case for Saudi-Arabia for example.

ehr, unless I'm mistaking, wasn't it "alea, eacta est" ?
I´m not shure, but you may be right. I said I can´t speak Latin though.

Lets rather speak about European politics and the advise Ceasar would give how politicians hold to power:
Panem et circenses (sp?) - bread and games

I´m not shure, but you may be right. I said I can´t speak Latin though.

Lets rather speak about European politics and the advise Ceasar would give how politicians hold to power:
Panem et circenses (sp?) - bread and games
They give us lot's of games. If the parliamentary debates would be on a forum like NS their threads would probably count as spam. And get locked. But they are gready when it comes to the bread part. In the Netherlands the ministers and other high ranking officials gave themselves a payraise. I think it was around 10%. While on the other hand they try to cut back on everything in an effort to get the deficit under 3%. At which they of course fail.

Actually English and French have a lot of simular vocabulary since English was more influenced than other germanic language by Latin.
And the romanic languages have simularities - though Latin has - as I do remember - more cases (six instead of four). The old languages tend to be more difficult and complicated than the modern languages.
Though Latin may be easier than old Greece.

England was indeed reigned by Normandy for quite a while, but they mostly took over words, their grammar wasn't really influenced, it still remained quite Germanic.

And old Greeck...man, you first have to get used to their digits before you can even start prenouncing words. I'm quite sure old Greeck is much harder to learn for people with a Roman or Germanic tongue, who use roman digits, than say Latin.

They give us lot's of games. If the parliamentary debates would be on a forum like NS their threads would probably count as spam. And get locked. But they are gready when it comes to the bread part. In the Netherlands the ministers and other high ranking officials gave themselves a payraise. I think it was around 10%. While on the other hand they try to cut back on everything in an effort to get the deficit under 3%. At which they of course fail.
Where should the bread come from? It needs to be taken from the tax payer. But the tax payer is already suffering from high taxes.
Well, difficult times.
Are you from the Netherlands? Or why are you so familiar with Dutch politics?

Where should the bread come from? It needs to be taken from the tax payer. But the tax payer is already suffering from high taxes.
Well, difficult times.
Are you from the Netherlands? Or why are you so familiar with Dutch politics?
I thought by now you would remember I'm from Germany. But live in the Netherlands. I'm sure I mentioned it a couple of times. As for the bread. Well, I dunno where exactly it should come from. But I do know that the politicians deserve a kick in the nuts (literally) from every voter. Giving themselves payraises, while at the same time preaching to the people we need to save money so we'll have to cut back on stuff. How much higher will the diäten in Germany be for them this year? Their own salaries are probably the only ones that don't get cuttbacks or null-runden.

And old Greek...man, you first have to get used to their digits before you can even start prenouncing words. I'm quite sure old Greeck is much harder to learn for people with a Roman or Germanic tongue, who use roman digits, than say Latin.

Not really, I'm Portuguese..I know Spanish, French, English, Italian, a little latin, german and I do know Greek and Russian alphabet...belive me, it's not that hard to read them ;)

England was indeed reigned by Normandy for quite a while, but they mostly took over words, their grammar wasn't really influenced, it still remained quite Germanic..
Well: the grammar structure though has simularities. English has got simular grammatic constructions and tenses than many romanic languages. We don´t have so many tenses in German, for example. On the other hand: It needs to be said that romanic, germanic and slavic languages all belong to the group of indo-germanic languages. While they are three language families they have still more in common than with Turkish or Arabic for exmple.
And while the vocabulary is mainly germanic it has more romanic words taken over than German:
from majority - majorité jelous - jalouse.
English is still a germanic language. But it is more influenced by romanic languages than others.
We have also some by the way: mainly from Latin and French. And today our language is influenced by English of course.


And old Greeck...man, you first have to get used to their digits before you can even start prenouncing words. I'm quite sure old Greeck is much harder to learn for people with a Roman or Germanic tongue, who use roman digits, than say Latin.
I know: I had that in school for a year or so. Really shit to go throught the alpha till the omega. But I forgot everything. I don´t know why we had to do it. Well: it belongs to European history but nothing is left about it in my brain though.

I thought by now you would remember I'm from Germany. But live in the Netherlands. I'm sure I mentioned it a couple of times. As for the bread. Well, I dunno where exactly it should come from. But I do know that the politicians deserve a kick in the nuts (literally) from every voter. Giving themselves payraises, while at the same time preaching to the people we need to save money so we'll have to cut back on stuff. How much higher will the diäten in Germany be for them this year? Their own salaries are probably the only ones that don't get cuttbacks or null-runden.
I don´t follow all the threads though. But I´ve seen you on the Dutch one. I didn´t know how your connection to the Netherlands was - via parents, job or something.

Not really, I'm Portuguese..I know Spanish, French, English, Italian, a little latin, german and I do know Greek and Russian alphabet...belive me, it's not that hard to read them ;)
You seem to be a language genius though. Not all people are so smart.
By the way: do you know old greece or new greece?
The Kyrill alphabet is not completly different though as I´ve heard. Well: it is still an alphabetic system not a sign system as in Chinese.
We used to have a special form of writing the letters in German as well: though it isn´t used any more and it was still based on the latin alphabet. It is still a bit hard to read though.

On the money subject, I prefer the look of Euros to pounds. Australian money looks even more cilly, it's made of really plasticy paper.

Giving themselves payraises, while at the same time preaching to the people we need to save money so we'll have to cut back on stuff. How much higher will the diäten in Germany be for them this year? Their own salaries are probably the only ones that don't get cuttbacks or null-runden.
The parlamentarians in Germany actually had zero-rounds for many years though.
I think that it is important for the political class to set an example. It however can´t be said that the pay for a parlamentarian, for an American president or for a german chancellor is very generous. Especially if you compare it with the pay of top managers.
Cutting back social spending is needed otherwise there need to be higher taxes. But if I see the polls I see that people want more welfare, fewer taxes and less deficit. That is impossible. So, whatever government does it gets unpopular. I think that the government is right in cutting into the welfare state and to reduce it to a minimum standard rather than to have a transfer state. That wasn´t the idea for the social state in the first place.
And I think there needs to be tax cuts to stimulate the economy just like in the US. It is working. Just look at the development of the US economy.

i like the euro notes becuase the pictures on notes and coins vary within each country.
But wat really pisses me off are the new british notes, i remeber when the pictures on the back where of famous people and landscapes thast most people now of. But now its people who like made traffic cones or sum irregular crap like that. Whos the bloke on the £50 note, have no idea.

i like the euro notes becuase the pictures on notes and coins vary within each country.
But wat really pisses me off are the new british notes, i remeber when the pictures on the back where of famous people and landscapes thast most people now of. But now its people who like made traffic cones or sum irregular crap like that. Whos the bloke on the £50 note, have no idea.
You can keep the queen at the back of the coins if you decided to join the Euro won day.
I actually like the coins of the Netherlands with Beatrix or of Spain with Juan Carlos I.

i like the euro notes becuase the pictures on notes and coins vary within each country.
But wat really pisses me off are the new british notes, i remeber when the pictures on the back where of famous people and landscapes thast most people now of. But now its people who like made traffic cones or sum irregular crap like that. Whos the bloke on the £50 note, have no idea.

Sir John Houblon, the first Governor of the Bank of England

But we'd have our unelected head of state on the coins, cos having a monarchy is the greatest symbol of Britain.

I mourn the loss of our pretty pretty guilder banknotes, with their abstract patterns and landscapes with sunflowers, owls, waterfowl and lighthouses...

*Wistful sigh*

Then again, it's easier to recognise euros as filthy lucre. ;)