A study conducted by researchers from The Netherlands Bank (DNB) and Deutsche Bundesbank has found consumers and cashiers are not significantly affected by the condition of banknotes when identifying counterfeits.

Euros in circulation are subject to European minimum quality standards. However, central banks can decide to apply stricter standards, partly because of the consideration that it is easier to identify counterfeit banknotes when they are among cleaner banknotes.

Frank van der Horst