# When/where can I get Euros? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 31, 2001, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-where-can-i-get-euros/79104 "2001-08-31T12:41:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-where-can-i-get-euros/79104/1 "2001-08-31T12:41:25Z")
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](http://www.iwon.com/home/news/news_article/0,11746,159990%7Ctop%7C08-30-2001::22:06%7Creuters%7C1,00.html)- 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? ---
**Author:** ![Tamealien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Tamealien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamealien)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-where-can-i-get-euros/79104/2 "2001-08-31T12:56:59Z")
Try [http://www.ecb.int](http://www.ecb.int) - the link to “cash changeover” on the right hand side give more info and pictures of the notes. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-where-can-i-get-euros/79104/3 "2001-08-31T13:07:25Z")
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] ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-where-can-i-get-euros/79104/4 "2001-08-31T13:18:38Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Tamealien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Tamealien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamealien)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-where-can-i-get-euros/79104/5 "2001-08-31T13:36:02Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-where-can-i-get-euros/79104/6 "2001-08-31T13:45:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Attrayant \* > \*\*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.] 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… > [@](#): > > [iLooking high & low in the Inet but I can’t even come up with a good picture of the Euros (and coins) except for [this](http://www.iwon.com/home/news/news_article/0,11746,159990%7Ctop%7C08-30-2001::22:06%7Creuters%7C1,00.html)- isn’t that a bit odd when we really need to get people accustomed to what the notes are supposed to look like?\*\* 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](http://europa.eu.int/euro/html/dossiers/00210/html/index-EN.html) But there are tons of sites displaying them, anyway… > [@](#): > > [iWhat will the Euro be worth on its relase date- is there any way to know right now? \*\* 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. > [@](#): > > Even though it’s not in circulation, does it already have an exchange rate?] 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 $ > [@](#): > > How much will it cost me to get 1 of each note & coin? \*\* 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. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-where-can-i-get-euros/79104/7 "2001-08-31T14:05:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tamealien \* > \*\*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. > \*\* 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. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-where-can-i-get-euros/79104/8 "2001-08-31T14:08:34Z")
_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](http://www.24carat.co.uk/2002eurosets2euro.html) All 12 sets cost $164.95. ---
**Author:** ![maryliza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dfb087/32.png) [@maryliza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maryliza)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-where-can-i-get-euros/79104/9 "2001-08-31T14:37:36Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-where-can-i-get-euros/79104/10 "2001-08-31T15:30:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by maryliza \* > \*\* > FTR, the franc/euro rate is 6.55957 (francs to euros). Don’t ask me why I know this. > > \*\* 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! ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-where-can-i-get-euros/79104/11 "2001-08-31T17:57:08Z")
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](http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news?p=euro&n=20&c=news_photos). For example, you can see that they’re [very colorful](http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/p/ap/20010830/wl/999183486germany_euro_han102.html). ---
**Author:** ![Tamealien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Tamealien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamealien)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-where-can-i-get-euros/79104/12 "2001-08-31T19:24:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Schnitte \* > > 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. No - the beginner’s kits contain 12.40 euro in a mix of coins (2_1 cent, 4_2 cent, 4_5 cent, 5_10 cent, 3_20 cent, 4_50 cent, 5_1 euro, 2_2 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](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.