Front: Windows and gateways symbolize the spirit of openness and cooperation in the European Union.

Back: Bridges symbolize communication among the people

All seven denominations, designed by Robert Kalina, show generic architectures typical of the different European artistic periods:

5 euro Classical
10 euro Romanesque
20 euro Gothic
50 euro Renaissance
100 euro Baroque and Rococo
200 euro Iron and glass architecture
500 euro Modern 20th century architecture

Every banknote has a serial number consisting of 1 letter prefix and 11 numbers.
The letter determines the country of origin:

N Austria
Z Belgium
G Cyprus
D Estonia
L Finland
U France
X Germany
Y Greece
T Ireland
S Italy
R Luxembourg*
F Malta
P Netherlands
M Portugal
E Slovakia
H Slovenia
V Spain
W Denmark*
K Sweden*
J United Kingdom*

* W, K and J have been reserved for EU members currently not participating in the euro. R reserved for Luxembourg which curent uses stockprinted originaly for other contries.

20 and 50 Euro scans courtesy of the European Commission's Delegation to Serbia and Montenegro

European Union was formed on November 1, 1993 to foster political, economic and social co-operation among it's members. Twenty-seven current members include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom.

Euro notes are the common currency for the following 17 members of the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.

Many other European Union members and non members also either switch to Euro or peg their currencies to Euro.

See a complete list of Who Use Euro?