The number of 500 euro notes in circulation has fallen to its lowest level since August 2005 and the 100 euro note is at its lowest since the euro was introduced - now why doesn´t that surprise me! I wonder whether that means the black market trade is also suffering in the current economic crisis!  Many stores do not even accept such high denomination notes anyway - with notices by the tills stating so, in main due to the number of

Over 11 years after the introduction of the euro, the 17 countries which share the common currency have started introducing a second generation of bank note - starting with the 5 euro note. One of the primary objectives is to make it more difficult to forge - and so includes many more security features.