The euro in context: Pre-euro and non-euro currencies

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                            N o n - E u r o  C u r r e n c i e s 

Country	Unit	Root	Sub-unit	Root	EURO status
Albania	Lek	Alexander (the great)	qindarka	hundred	non-member
Belarus	Rouble	cutting (chop)	kopeck	lance	non-member
Bosnia-Herzegovina	Marka	Mark (weight)	feninga	pfennig	peg, non-member
Bulgaria	Lev	Lion dollar	stotinka	sto (hundred)	peg, must join
Czech Republic	Korun	Crown	haler	heller	must join
Denmark	Krone	Crown	øre	golden	peg, ERM II opt-out
Gibraltar *	Pound	Libra (weight)	penny	denarius	non-member
Guernsey *	Pound	Libra (weight)	penny	denarius	non-member
Hungary	Forint	Florin	filler	heller	must join
Iceland	Krona	Crown	eyrir	øre	non-member
Isle of Man *	Pound	Libra (weight)	penny	denarius	non-member
Jersey *	Pound	Libra (weight)	penny	denarius	non-member
Liechtenstein *	Franken	franc (weight)	Rappen	raven/black horse	non-member
Macedonia	Denar	Denarius	deni		non-member
Moldova	Leu	Lion dollar	ban	lord (Persian)	non-member
Norway	Krone	Crown	øre	golden	non-member
Poland	Złoty	gold money	grosz	groschen	must join
Romania	Leu	Lion dollar	ban	lord (Persian)	must join
Russia	Rouble	cutting (chop)	kopeck	lance	non-member
Serbia	Dinar	Denarius	para	piece	non-member
Sweden	Krona	Crown	öre	golden	must join, unwilling
Switzerland	Franc	Frankish	rappen	black bird	non-member
Transnistria	Rouble	cutting (chop)	kopeck	lance	non-member
Ukraine	Hryvnia	grivna (weight)	kopeck	lance	non-member
UK	Pound	Libra (weight)	penny	denarius	non-member

*  The Gibraltar pound is separate from, but kept at par with, the UK pound sterling.
*  The Guernsey pound is separate from, but kept at par with, the UK pound sterling.
*  The Jersey pound is separate from, but kept at par with, the UK pound sterling.
*  The Manx pound is separate from, but kept at par with, the UK pound sterling.
*  Issued for collectors only. Liechtenstein traditionally uses the Swiss franc.

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This table shows the predecessors of the euro in those EU states where the euro is issued.

                    P r e - E u r o  C u r r e n c i e s

Country		Unit		Root	Sub-unit		Root			Succeeded *
Andorra		Diner		money	centim		100			2014
Austria		Schilling		solidus	Groschen		grosso (dim.)			1999
Belgium		franc		weight	centime		100			1999
Croatia		Kuna		marten (animal)	lipa		100			2023
Cyprus		pound		weight	cent		100			2008
Estonia		kroon		crown	sent		100			2011
Finland		markka		weight	penni		ringing sound			1999
France		franc		weight	centime		100			1999
Germany		Deutsche Mark		weight	Pfennig		ringing sound			1999
Greece		drachma		handful	lepton		small			2001
Ireland		punt		pound	pingin		penny			1999
Italy		lira		weight	*					1999
Latvia		Lat		country name	santims		100			2014
Lithuania		Litas		country name	centas		100			2015
Luxembourg		franc		weight	centime		100			1999
Malta		lira		weight	cent/mil		100/1000			2008
Monaco		franc		weight	centime		100			1999
Netherlands		gulden		gold coin	cent		100			1999
Portugal		escudo		shield	centavo		100			1999
San Marino		lira		weight	*					1999
Slovakia		koruna		crown	haller		from Hall			2009
Slovenia		tolar		Thaler	stotin		100 (sto)			2007
Spain		peseta		heavy (dim.)	céntimo		100			1999
Vatican City		lira		weight	*					1999

*	The sub-unit of the lira, the centesimo (from 100), was no longer used.
*	The years 1999 and 2001 in the "Succeeded" column refer to the date (1 January) when that country introduced the euro as a currency unit. The general public did not get the euro coins until mid-December 2001, and the euro cash became legal tender on 1 January 2002.

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Pre-euro notes and coins: Redemption* after end of legal tender status

This list shows how long the pre-euro cash of each euro country can be redeemed. Each member state set its own deadlines, so the dates vary from country to country. Note that the exchange periods for coins may be different from that of notes, and that the exchange may be limited to the issues that were in circulation until the cash changeover.

* at the issuing country's central bank and its branch offices.

YYYY-MM-DD:  End of redemption period
2003-01-03:  PT / Coins
2004-03-01:  GR / Coins
2004-12-31:  BE / Coins
2004-12-31:  LU / Coins
2005-02-17:  FR / Coins
2006-12-30:  NL / Coins
2009-12-31:  CY / Coins
2010-02-01:  MT / Coins
2011-12-07:  IT / Coins and Notes
2012-02-17:  FR / Notes
2012-02-29:  FI / Coins and Notes
2012-03-01:  GR / Notes
2013-12-31:  SK / Coins
2016-12-31:  SI / Coins
2017-12-31:  CY / Notes
2018-01-31:  MT / Notes
2021-06-30:  ES / Coins and Notes (see reply #4)
2022-02-28:  PT / Notes
2025-12-31: HR / Coins
2032-01-01:  NL / Notes

Unlimited redemption periods:
– AT / Coins and Notes
– BE / Notes
– DE / Coins and Notes
– EE / Coins and Notes
– HR / Notes
– IE / Coins and Notes
– LU / Notes
– LV / Coins and Notes
– SI / Notes
– SK / Notes

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RELATED LINKS

Comments on "Pre-euro and Non-euro Currencies"

The Euro: Present and Future.

[chrisild]

In Spain the redemption period for the pre-euro cash (basically peseta notes issued after 1939, and coins that were legal tender until the introduction of the euro cash on 1 Jan 2002) has been extended because of the Coronavirus restrictions. The original deadline was 31 Dec 2020 – now people can do that until 30 June 2021. (More information in Spanish and English.)

The notes and coins can be exchanged at the head office of the central bank (Banco de España) in Madrid, or any of the BdE branch offices. However, due to the current pandemic regulations, you need to make an appointment. Having a photo ID with you is helpful (and required if the total amounts exceeds €1,000). On the right of the Spanish and English pages above, in the Useful Documents section, there are PDF files (in Spanish) that show which coins and notes may be redeemed: "Billetes de peseta canjeables" and "Monedas de peseta canjeables".

Christian