About this collection
2022 marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of the euro as a physical currency. After its introduction on the financial markets in 1999, the single currency replaced the coins and banknotes of 12 European countries on 1 January 2002. Today, the euro is used by 340 million citizens across 19 countries and is a daily symbol of economic alliance and a common European identity. It is the second most used currency in the world for international payments, loans and reserves of central banks, behind the US dollar. Explore the move towards European integration through this selection of artefacts and archives from the HSBC Continental Europe collections.
