Rare Euro Banknotes (Proof, Wrong Cut, Specimen, Same Serial Number...)

[klapotec]

Hi, thanks for the info, the spacing is different in the ones in circulation in Finland and never seen it before so it was a bit weird. So probably a feature, not a fault

definitely a fault, but obviously not one grave enough not to be put in circulation

[lazza]

This reminds me of the €50 I have somewhere in a draw in which the printer code has a letter "O" rather than a zero "0" - MO43H2 rather than M043H2. I guess it's not so rare, but I'll keep it anyway!

[lmviterbo]

From plate 43 to plate 46, all notes printed in Spain were like that:
MO43
MO44
MO45
MO46

Sorry if I disappoint you, but these are indeed very common.

[Montgomery Burns]

This is by no means a "valuable" error - I just think we should start using this thread to report oddities that don't fall under scribbles or stamps.

A slightly raised "1", with a faded base (it's impossible to tell if the fadeness is due to use or a production defect - the bill is in good condition):

[phrenq]

Hello,

I had these notes in the same lot of a rent pay, they look like a series, but not the usual XX9999999---. This one is X--9999-----, with some repetitions. Also the short codes are different, but start all with S025.

Is it something natural to find such pattern ?

2024-01-22 strange series.jpeg (61.01 KiB) Viewed 4309 times

[lmviterbo]

Hello phrenq,

That is actually the norm for Europa series notes' serial numbers starting with S or U. Those Italian (S) and French (U) notes are numbered in such a way that the 2nd and 3rd characters (a letter and a digit) represent (or reflect, to be precise) the sheet cell where the note is printed.

Think of a printing sheet as an Excel table or a game of Battleship or any rectangular atlas grid.

So, on the same printing sheet, you will find SR5abcdefghx on cell E5 (its printing code will be S022E5, if it was printed on the Italian plate #022), and next to it you will find SP5abcdefghy on cell E6 (printing code S022E6). Sheets are printed and stacked, than cut, and kept in bundles. Quite often, you will find bundles of SR5 followed or even interspersed with bundles of P5, for example.

You are very welcome to keep the curiousity, but please next time refrain from showing serial numbers almost in full (to prevent fake entries).

[phrenq]

Thank you very much for the detailed answer, I now get the process.

Sorry for hiding too few digits, I thought the last 3 would be enough. I changed the picture to hide extra characters.

[lmviterbo]

You're welcome, and thanks for redacting the picture.

I see you are in Italy. You may be interested in this thread:

Corrispondenza tra codice corto e seriale (miniguida)

[siriusLT]

I have received 10€ with serial in bold text, and lower number. Is it common or something rare?

[siriusLT]

better quality photo

[jazzdream]

Hello,

Just found a note with faded serial number:

sa.jpg (32.22 KiB) Viewed 3622 times

Just my five euros,
Jazzdream

[EddyMuseuWPM]

Hello,

I'm back!
I have to many stuff to show here but something very nice is this:

Austria - 2002 - 2x5€ error missing print on back and wrong serial number. On the normal banknote the control number is the last digit on this 2 banknotes you see the control number on the front the first digit.

[EddyMuseuWPM]

To check... N23 +9+9+9+9+9 = N68

[lmviterbo]

Eddy, your collection is interesting but, as klapotec told you three years ago, this is not a banknote collectors forum.

You just posted 16 full serial numbers, which include 8 numbers that hadn't been declared public serials here yet.

I am no moderator here but I am pretty sure that, if you post complete serial numbers one more time, you'll be banned from the forum.

There are other ways of showing your nice serials without showing them. For example, it would be just as interesting if you said that you have both N23abcdefghi and N68abcdefghi, or N23 and N68 with all other digits equal. You're welcome to post your cool numbers in any way that doesn't reveal more than 4 or 5 digits.

[g.s.51]

The numbers on the two Austrian 5€ show that this printing spectacular accident affected the same single sheet N**abcdefghi.
N68 = position H6 and N23 = position C2.
The few faulty bills found in Germany all have the same "abcdefghi" control number...