What about the codes you use?

[Senior]

Could someone please explain the meaning of the codes used on this forum? It would improve my understanding of some of the topics (e.g. http://forum.eurobilltracker.eu/viewtopic.php?t=2343 ).
Thanks in advance.
Greetings,

Senior

[avij]

First of all, you can download and print a handy reference card for these codes from here. As you're probably aware, the codes we're discussing are just the serial number and the short code found on the note.

I understand that it might be difficult for new EBTers to follow our discussion about serial numbers and printer codes.

20 Euro P-P
10 Euro V-G
5 Euro N-P
...
I know there are V01***/G005/€10 bills, but I am not sure about the N/P/€5 bills.
...
You don't need a 10€ printed in N for Y?

However, it all becomes obvious once you familiarize yourself with the serial number scheme. The serial numbers have one initial letter, L to Z, which indicates for which country the note had been produced. The shortcode (as found on the front side of the note) also has one initial letter, D to U, which indicates the printing facility which printed the note.

It's just so much quicker to write "I got a brand new P/G/20€ note" than it is to write "I got a brand new Dutch 20€ note printed at Johan Enschedé & Zn".

Usually we shorten these serial numbers and short codes to just the initial letter, but sometimes it's worth mentioning some of the following numbers as well. For example, most of the 50€ notes printed by H (De la Rue, UK) for Finland have H006 in the beginning of the shortcode, while most of 50€ notes printed by H for Portugal have H004 in the beginning.

When we use the very terse (firstcharacter)/(secondcharacter) syntax, the former denotes the serial number letter and the latter the short code letter.

Here are the clarifications for the examples I posted above:
20 Euro P-P = a note printed for Netherlands in Giesecke&Devrient Germany
10 Euro V-G = a note printed for Spain in Johan Enschedé & Zn, Netherlands
5 Euro N-P = a note printed for Austria in Giesecke&Devrient Germany
...
I know there are V01***/G005/€10 bills, but I am not sure about the N/P/€5 bills. = There are 10€ notes printed for Spain whose serial number start with V01 and the shortcode starts with G005, but he's not sure about 5€ bills printed for Austria in Giesecke&Devrient.
...
You don't need a 10€ printed in N for Y? = He asks if there's a need for a 10€ note printed in Bank of Greece for Greece.

I hope this makes sense..

[Senior]

@ avij:

Thank you!
I already knew about the country and printer letters (see my website), but since I don't use the EBT myself (to busy with coins) I wasn't aware that the serial numbers of countries often begin with the same digits. Nor did I know this of the short codes. The other thing that confused me was the changing number of X's that I saw in the above mentioned link. Apparently this was not interesting at all, and could have been *** as wel as XXXXXX or XXXX. I guess I'll be able to read all messages without trouble now.
Greetings,

Senior

[avij]

and could have been *** as wel as XXXXXX or XXXX.

Yes, the primary reason for editing out parts of the serial number is that some people may get funny thoughts and enter those serial numbers into EBT even if that person hasn't even seen that note, thus generating fake hits. That's why you don't see complete serial numbers in here (or on the main EBT website).

[Senior]

I guess it would be handier to use a standard code for the rest of the serial number, e.g. 3 X's (XXX). That would probably cause less confusion with people who are new on this forum. Part of my above question was because I wanted to know what the difference was between XXXXX and XXXXXXX (first message in link http://forum.eurobilltracker.eu/viewtopic.php?t=2343 ), if you get my point.
Greetings,

Senior