'Counterfeit euros in Germany: how to check banknotes and what to do if
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Counterfeit euros are relatively rare in Germany, but for anyone who receives one, it results in a direct financial loss: a counterfeit bill or coin will not be exchanged for real money. The best practice is to check cash for several security features and not to pass on any suspicious money.
How often are counterfeit euros found?
According to data from the Deutsche Bundesbank for 2025, 69,909 counterfeit euro banknotes and 128,132 counterfeit euro coins were detected in Germany. Given the total volume of cash in circulation, the risk remains low, but a single counterfeit bill means the loss of its full face value.
Most often, it’s worth paying attention not only to large denominations but also to everyday ones. In the first half of 2025, the Bundesbank specifically noted an increase in counterfeit 50- and 100-euro notes, while among coins, nearly all detected counterfeits were 2-euro coins.
| Cases detected in Germany | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Counterfeit euro banknotes | 72,413 | 69,909 |
| Counterfeit euro coins | 141,332 | 128,132 |
Crude imitations with inscriptions such as “MovieMoney” or “Prop copy” are also found in circulation. Such inscriptions do not make the bill valid for payment: if someone tries to pass it off as real money, the situation is still considered a case of counterfeit cash.
Which denominations should you check more carefully
In everyday transactions, 20-, 50-, and 100-euro notes are checked most often. The 50-euro note is particularly convenient for counterfeiters: it’s a fairly large denomination, yet it’s frequently used in everyday payments and private transactions.
The 500-euro note remains legal tender, even though new notes of this denomination are no longer issued. An old design or a rare denomination does not in itself prove that the note is counterfeit. You need to check the security features.
Banknotes from both the first series and the Europa series may be in circulation. Both series remain valid, and banknotes from the first series are gradually being phased out naturally.
Counterfeit coins
With coins, the main risk is associated with the 2-euro coin. According to Bundesbank data for the first half of 2025, 91% of the counterfeit coins detected were 2-euro coins, 8% were 1-euro coins, and about 1% were 50-cent coins.
Coins are checked for the quality of their minting, color, edge, and magnetic properties. Genuine 1- and 2-euro coins are only weakly magnetic; a reaction to a magnet that is too strong or a complete lack of the expected reaction may be cause for suspicion.
How to check a banknote: feel it, look at it, tilt it
The Bundesbank recommends the feel, look, tilt principle. It’s best to check several features at once, because a counterfeit may imitate a single element but usually fails when all the details are considered together.
| Step | What to Do | What Should Raise a Red Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Feel it | Examine the paper and the print texture | The paper is too smooth, soft, or “waxy”; the texture isn’t noticeable |
| Hold it up to the light | Check the watermark and security thread | The features appear to be printed on top of the paper or are missing from within the paper |
| Tilt | Check the hologram and color-shifting elements | The hologram does not change; the numbers and stripes remain static |
If in doubt, compare the bill with another bill of the same denomination that you know is genuine. This is a simple, everyday way to spot differences in the paper, color, texture, and security features.
How to check a coin
Counterfeit coins often look inferior to genuine ones upon close inspection:
- the image is blurry or not clearly separated from the background;
- The surface is uneven, and the color differs from that of a regular coin;
- The edge and the edge lettering on the 2-euro note look sloppy;
- The magnetic reaction is different from that of a genuine 1- or 2-euro coin.
If you have any doubts about a coin, it’s best not to accept it as payment. If you already have it, you can have it checked by a bank, the police, or a Bundesbank branch.
What to do if a banknote appears to be counterfeit
If you suspect a note is counterfeit before accepting it, ask for a different bill or another form of payment. If you already have a suspicious note in your possession, do not try to “put it back into circulation.”
- Do not pay with a suspicious banknote, and do not pass it on to someone else.
- Keep it separate from the rest of your money so you don’t mix it up.
- Write down where, when, and from whom you might have received it.
- Contact the police, your bank, or a branch of the Deutsche Bundesbank to have it checked.
- If the banknote is genuine, it will be returned or credited according to standard procedure. If it is counterfeit, no compensation will be provided.
The Bundesbank explicitly states that using or returning counterfeit money is illegal. Banks and financial institutions have specific obligations to seize suspicious and counterfeit money; for private individuals, the most important thing is not to pass such a bill on to others and to report it through official channels.
If the situation is confrontational or unsafe, do not argue over the bill on the spot. It is safer to record the circumstances, keep the suspicious money separate, and report the information to the police.
How to reduce the risk of receiving counterfeit money
- Check 20-, 50-, and 100-euro notes during private transactions, such as when selling electronics, furniture, a bicycle, or a car.
- Do not accept large amounts of cash in a hurry or in poor lighting.
- Compare a questionable banknote with a known genuine one of the same denomination.
- Don’t rely solely on the overall appearance: the paper, embossing, watermark, security thread, hologram, and color-shifting elements are all important.
- If you handle cash regularly, use the Bundesbank’s training and materials on counterfeit detection.
- For large private transactions, consider a bank transfer or another non-cash payment method.
You can read about other payment options in the article “” and “Payment Methods in Germany” at.
FAQ
Will a counterfeit bill be exchanged for a genuine one?
No. If a banknote or coin is determined to be counterfeit, no compensation will be provided. The person who ends up with the counterfeit item bears the loss.
Is it possible to verify euros without a special device?
Yes. The initial check is designed for the average person: feel the paper and the texture, look at the watermark and security thread against the light, tilt the bill, and check the hologram.
Are all old euro bills suspicious?
No. Banknotes from the first series and the Europa series remain in circulation. An older design does not necessarily mean the note is counterfeit, as long as the security features match those of a genuine banknote.
What should a cashier or salesperson do?
Do not accept a suspicious banknote if you have any doubts right away. If you have already accepted the money, set it aside, document the circumstances, and follow the internal procedures of your employer, bank, or the police.
