500 euro note
The five-hundred-euro note (€500) is the highest-value euro banknote and was produced between the introduction of the euro (in its cash form) in 2002 until 2019. Since 27 April 2019, the banknote has no longer been issued by central banks in the euro area, but continues to be legal tender and can be used as a means of payment.
It is one of the highest-value circulating banknotes in the world, worth around 545 USD; 3,935 CNY; 78,149 JPY; 488 CHF, or 428 GBP as of June 2023.
The note is used in the 25 countries which have the euro as their sole currency, with a population of about 343 million.Initially, the high denomination notes were introduced very rapidly so that in the first 7 years (up to December 2008) there were 530 million five-hundred-euro banknotes in circulation. Subsequently, the rate of increase was radically slowed. In July 2023, there were approximately 281 million banknotes in circulation (decreased from 614 million in 2015). It is the least widely circulated denomination, accounting for 0.9% of the total banknotes.
It is the largest note measuring 160 × 82 mm and has a purple colour scheme. The five-hundred-euro banknotes depict bridges and arches/doorways in modern architecture (around the late 20th century). The five-hundred-euro note contains several complex security features such as watermarks, invisible ink, holograms and microprinting that make counterfeiting very difficult.
The note is being phased out due to concerns of widespread use for illegal purposes. Most printing of new €500 notes ceased in 2019, although existing notes will remain legal tender until further notice.
