I miss the pre-euro national currency notes.

[randomness]

I know there are practical reasons, but three and a half years after the changeover I find myself nostalgic for some of the old notes. It isn't just the variety of designs, but the subjects. Even the obscure ones were a view into the nation's view of itself.

The euro notes were specifically designed to be generic. Quoting http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1735880.stm:

"One note had to be redesigned when it proved in fact to be a real bridge. And not from Europe, but from India."

Even the name was carefully chosen not to offend. And more or less, the European Central Bank succeeded. But the result looks a bit like toy money.

http://www.ecb.int/bc/banknotes/looks/html/index.en.html

I don't mean this as a criticism of the designer, Robert Kalina of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank. He did as good a job as possible within the existing political constraints, which were many and must have made his job a frustrating exercise.

But look at some of the notes they replaced:

• Sigmund Freud
  
• Rene Magritte (I particularly like the back.)
  
• Jean Sibelius
  
• Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, complete with the Little Prince
  
• Carl Friedrich Gauss and his distribution
  
• Athena
  
• A smiling James Joyce
  
• Vasco da Gama
  
• A very politically incorrect Hernan Cortés and Francisco Pizarro
  

Of course, there are fewer note denominations than there are euro member countries, and you can't have people from some countries on the notes and leave out some other countries, so they just decided the wouldn't have anyone.

Still, one of my favorite notes doesn't even have a person on it, so that objection doesn't arise. It's just got a big sunflower.

The old notes had national distinctiveness and character. The new ones are bland.

But that's progress, I guess. And international political compromise.

[Edit: http://www.admirabledesign.com/-Designs-de-l-euro- shows some of the designs that weren't chosen.]

Comments

[jbsegal.livejournal.com]

Didn't they make localized coins - uniform Obverse, multiple reverse?

Isn't that possible with the bills, too?

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Didn't they make localized coins - uniform Obverse, multiple reverse?

They did! There are even commemorative 2 euro coins.

Isn't that possible with the bills, too?

It's possible, sure. But they decided not to.

[karakara98.livejournal.com]

I loved that sunflower too. I wanted to keep it when I was in Amsterdam, but 50 Guilder was worth too much not to spend at the time. When the national currencies were phased out, NPR interviewed the man who designed that bill and the other Dutch currency. He was, unsurprisingly, disappointed in the new currency.

Not having people I can understand, but maybe aesthetically pleasing objects are worth offending a few people over every now and then.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

I loved that sunflower too.

It really is one of my favorite banknotes. There's a great watermark of the bee in the sunflower that you can just make out in that blank white bit at the top.

When the national currencies were phased out, NPR interviewed the man who designed that bill and the other Dutch currency. He was, unsurprisingly, disappointed in the new currency.

I'm sorry I missed that!

Not having people I can understand, but maybe aesthetically pleasing objects are worth offending a few people over every now and then.

I'd think so, too.

[folzgold.livejournal.com]

This sort of lowest-common-denominator thing is rather disappointing.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

:)

That BBC story made a similar comment: ""Euro" - widely judged to be a boring lowest common denominator - only came into its own as the least offensive option much later."

[folzgold.livejournal.com]

Though I've recently become an architecture geek, so the designs are rather interesting. It seems that cultures with strong architectural styles have strong ironworking styles. And non-distinctive architecture leads to non-distinct ironwork. 'Nuff geeking.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

But as actual currency, they're great. It's awesome to be able to jaunt over to Europe without having to worry about changing money... because you have some left over from last time. We keep a little stash and it makes it super simple.

Absolutely! I keep a bit myself, just to keep things simple when I arrive.

And for all my earlier griping, they still look better than American money.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Though I've recently become an architecture geek, so the designs are rather interesting.

One thing I do like about them is the unifying "architecture through the ages" theme, with the largest denominations having the most recent architectural designs.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

'Nuff geeking.

Can there ever be enough geeking? :)

[folzgold.livejournal.com]

God no. There's a curve that goes from 'a distinct lack of having fun' and 'learning awesomeness'.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Maybe I'm just nostalgic.

:) Could be.

Although the older bills? So much better than the new notes.

[folzgold.livejournal.com]

I thought the old $20 bill was much more ornate and pretty than the newer one. The 20's raining from the sky on whatever building that is are sort of... tacky. Also, I think Susan B. Anthony was a much better person for the $1 coin.

If money wasn't so political... If they put Regan on a coin, I might not use it at all.

[noire.livejournal.com]

I miss the old Belgian 2000 franc note, the Art Nouveau design by Horta in a lovely periwinkle blue. I think that was my all-time favorite piece of currency that is, alas, gone.

At least the euro does have a lot of convenience for us foreigners to make up for the nostalgia. I must admit that I do NOT miss changing from francs to lire to marks and having a wallet full of every currency except the one I happen to need at the moment...

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

I think that was my all-time favorite piece of currency that is, alas, gone.

this one?

Nice!

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Why'd they change that, anyway?

The short answer is "Politics".

The longer answer is that they really wanted to switch from a $1 bill to a $1 coin, but they realized that the Anthony dollar was so unpopular they'd have to change the design if they were to have any hope of getting people to accept it. Putting Sacagawea on the coin was a way to satisfy the Native American lobby without annoying the women's lobby. Much.

In reality, they didn't have any real hope of getting people to accept it without withdrawing the dollar bill...but that was never an option, again because of politics.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

If they put Regan on a coin, I might not use it at all.

Don't look now, but there's legislation making its way through Congress to put all the presidents on dollar coins, four presidents a year, along the lines of the state quarter program:

http://money.cnn.com/2005/04/27/pf/new_dollar/index.htm?section=money_latest

[nathanjw]

Tragically, politics of Massachusetts, even.

[pobig.livejournal.com]

I've always liked the stoned expression of whoever it is on the Irish Punt (http://pantransit.reptiles.org/images/1996-07-28/irish-punt-front.jpg).

[gee-tar.livejournal.com]

I, however, am currently enjoying the facility of using fewer currencies.

[a-dodecahedron.livejournal.com]

Awesome! I like the Austrian one with Erwin Schrödinger, especially the big decorated Ψ.

I agree with you. Why not keep the single currency but allow design variations, like the Euro coins and U.S. state quarters?

I'm also disappointed that they would never print U.S. money with artists, musicians, or scientists.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Why not keep the single currency but allow design variations, like the Euro coins and U.S. state quarters?

It makes sense, doesn't it? I don't know.

I'm also disappointed that they would never print U.S. money with artists, musicians, or scientists.

Me too, but can you imagine the political battles? Britain has Charles Darwin on the £10 note; some people would want to put whoever it is behind the Intelligent Design movement on some piece of currency.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Yah, I wonder what the story is with her.