Upcoming Euro Bills to Feature European Culture and Rivers and Birds Themes

The next euro bills will be dedicated to two themes: “European culture” and “rivers and birds.” Two bills will display portraits of classical music giants, Maria Callas and Ludwig van Beethoven.

In 2002, the first series of euro bills themed with “epochs and styles” was put into circulation, displaying inspired representations from various architectural styles throughout European history (such as porches, arcades, bridges…).

Twenty years later, a consultation was launched for the creation of a new series of bills. Following a public survey, the Governing Council selected two themes for the future bills in 2024: “European culture” and “rivers and birds.”

In the “European culture” series, representations will include the Franco-Polish scientist Marie Curie (20 euros), Spanish playwright Miguel de Cervantes (50 euros), Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci (100 euros), Austrian pacifist Bertha von Suttner (200 euros), but notably, for music and performing arts, the great Greek soprano Maria Callas will be featured on the 5 euro bill and Ludwig van Beethoven on the 10 euro bill.

Berlioz and Debussy on the 10 and 20 Franc Bills

According to the ECB’s schedule, following a competition launched in July 2025, a selection of designers submitted proposals that will be reviewed by the end of summer. Following this phase, the jury will select ten graphic design projects (five per theme) that will be submitted online to European citizens for their feedback. The Governing Council will make a final decision on the designs by the end of the year. The issuance date of these new bills is not known yet, but 2030 seems the most likely deadline.

Maria Callas and Ludwig van Beethoven are not the first classical music figures to appear on banknotes. In France, before the introduction of the euro, the portrait of Hector Berlioz was featured on the 10 franc bills and that of Claude Debussy on the 20 franc bills.

In Europe, other countries have also paid tribute to classical music legends in the past. In Austria, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (500 schillings), in Germany, Clara Schumann and Johann Sebastian Bach (100 deutsche mark), in Italy, Giuseppe Verdi (1000 lira), in Poland, Frédéric Chopin (5000 zloty), in Hungary, Franz Liszt (1000 forint), in Sweden, soprano Jenny Lind (50 crowns), in Norway, Edvard Grieg (100 crowns), and in Armenia, Aram Khachaturian (50 dram).

Philippe Gault