When/where can I get Euros?

Euro coins and notes will not be in circulation until January 2002, but when that time comes what do I need to do to get some? Can I go to my credit union and say “give me some o’ them thar Euro thangs”? Never having been out of the country, I’ve never had to exchange dollars for anything, so you might be able to do it at the 7-11, I don’t know.

Looking high & low in the Inet but I can’t even come up with a good picture of the Euros (and coins) except for this- isn’t that a bit odd when we really need to get people accustomed to what the notes are supposed to look like?

What will the Euro be worth on its relase date- is there any way to know right now? Even though it’s not in circulation, does it already have an exchange rate?

How much will it cost me to get 1 of each note & coin?

Try http://www.ecb.int - the link to “cash changeover” on the right hand side give more info and pictures of the notes.

Great link, and I see some of my other questions are answered there as well.

Doesn’t the Federal Reserve* issue “proof sets” when they release new coins & notes? Seems to me that EUC would love for people all over the world to buy some of their pretty new notes, taking them out of circulation.

*[sub]Example only- I know the feds are not involved in releasing Euros.[/sub]

Usually, cash change is done at banks; maybe not every single branch, but the major ones will do it (the 7-11 won’t help you, I suppose). I don’t know the situation in America too well; in Europe, virtually all the bank branches have always done cash exchange, of course charging a fee (there has been much ado about whether to allow the banks to charge fees for national currencies-Euro exchange; they’re not), but I’m sure the bigger offices of US banks will help you.
The rate of exchange is currently about 90 US-Cents for one Euro, but since you will change cash, it will be more expensive for you, so I think 1:1 will roughly be the thing.
Getting one of each note and coin won’t be cheap; the largest note in circulation will be 500 (others are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Euros, I think). Coins are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 cents and 1 and 2 Euros, but they will all look differently since the 11 nations are allowed to design the reverse sides of the coins (not the notes) independently.
The “cash changeover” thing in Tamealien’s link actually does include some very good information about the banknote design.
Additionally, I just wonder: Why do you need Euro cash?

At a quick look I can’t see anything on the ECB site, but last night I was watching the German TV news, and the item on the Euro certainly seemed to show a machine packing proof sets of the coins into those cardboard display stands.

As the coins have a “national” face and an “EU” face, I guess it is up to each national central bank to do a proof set or not - but I bet they all do.

Yes, you’ll be able to go to your bank and buy euros. They’ll only give you notes though. For coins, I suppose you’ll have to go to a collector’s shop, or something…

They people in the euro zone to get accustomed to the new currency. Euro have been displayed everywhere, here : in newspapers, on the tv, in banks, etc…Check this link for all the notes : http://europa.eu.int/euro/html/dossiers/00210/html/index-EN.html

But there are tons of sites displaying them, anyway…

If someone was able to know what will be the value of a currency months in advance, B.Gates would be a beggar, as compared to this person.

Actually, the euro is already the currency in the euro zone. Only the euro is quotated on the money market, or exchanged between banks. The local currencies (deutchmark, lira, etc…) are only the physical form of the euro until next year, and their value is fixed (i.e. : 1 euro is worth 6,55 francs or so and it doesn’t change). The pesetas relate to the euro in the same way the cents relate to the dollar. They aren’t any more a currency per se. One euro is currently worth 0.91 $

There will be 500,200,100,50,20,10,5 euro notes. There will be 2 euro, 1 euro , 50, 20, 10, 5, 2, 1 cents coins. Total : 888,88 euros. At the current exchange rate a little more than 800 dollars. But you’ll have to pay a commission to your bank.

I think those were the “Beginner’s Kits” that will be for sale from December 17, 2001 and contain one pice of each note/coin. TheY’ll be available here in Europe, but I don’t think overseas.

Gasp

I think I’ll stop at the 100 Euro note.

And I found a great coin site that has dynamite close-up pictures of all the coins:

http://www.24carat.co.uk/2002eurosets2euro.html

All 12 sets cost $164.95.

Warning! Slightly OT!

Every month, our bills change.

Last January, our electricity and gas bill (for example) was displayed in francs. Next to the total was a small note giving the euro equivalent.

Same thing in the grocery stores, department stores, etc.

Gradually, though, the euro has taken over. Now all the bills are displayed in euros, with the equivalent in francs nearby in tiny print.

I still get a shock when I see the bills: I see a small number and think there’s been a mistake. Then I realize I’m an idiot.

FTR, the franc/euro rate is 6.55957 (francs to euros). Don’t ask me why I know this.

I’ll be really sorry to see the pretty French money go.

Of course I cannot leave that like this without giving the Euro/Deutschmark rate. It’s 1.95583 marks per Euro, once again: Please don’t ask why I know it!

They just unveiled the actual Euro banknotes August 30th. So if you do a search on Yahoo pictures for them, you get some nice results.

For example, you can see that they’re very colorful.

No - the beginner’s kits contain 12.40 euro in a mix of coins (21 cent, 42 cent, 45 cent, 510 cent, 320 cent, 450 cent, 51 euro, 22 euro). The things I saw being packed were one of each coin, in a presentation stand.

Another good reference is http://www.bcl.lu/pdf/billets_et_pieces/pdf_anglais.pdf , which is the Luxembourg changeover plan in English - I guess the process will be similar for most countries.