As the European Central Bank takes the final step in phasing out the €500 note, few are expected to mourn a bill favoured by criminals but rarely seen in daily life. Photo: AFP As the European Central Bank takes the final step in phasing out the €500 note, few are expected to mourn a bill favoured by criminals but rarely seen in daily life. Photo: AFP
As the European Central Bank takes the final step in phasing out the €500 note, few are expected to mourn a bill favoured by criminals but rarely seen in daily life. Photo: AFP
World /  Europe

Death of the 500 euro note, bill favoured by criminals … and Germans

  • The banknote’s death warrant was signed in 2016 when the ECB formally ended its production over concerns it could ‘facilitate illegal activities’
  • A million euros in €500 notes weighs just 2.2kg, fitting easily into a laptop bag

Topic |   European Central Bank
Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse

Updated: 10:35pm, 27 Jan, 2019

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As the European Central Bank takes the final step in phasing out the €500 note, few are expected to mourn a bill favoured by criminals but rarely seen in daily life. Photo: AFP As the European Central Bank takes the final step in phasing out the €500 note, few are expected to mourn a bill favoured by criminals but rarely seen in daily life. Photo: AFP
As the European Central Bank takes the final step in phasing out the €500 note, few are expected to mourn a bill favoured by criminals but rarely seen in daily life. Photo: AFP
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