The Bundesbank registered roughly 72,400 counterfeit euro banknotes in German payments in 2024. Thus, the number of counterfeits was up by 28 % compared with the previous year. At the same time, however, the loss arising from counterfeiting went down. Overall, the incidence of counterfeit money remains moderate in scale: statistically speaking, in 2024 there were nine counterfeit banknotes per 10,000 inhabitants, said Burkhard Balz, member of the Bundesbank’s Executive Board.

The branches of the Bundesbank supply the economy with euro banknotes and coins, and offers private customers the opportunity to exchange D-Mark banknotes and coins free-of-charge and with no fixed deadline.

We use money every day, taking it for granted in our daily lives. At the same time, money is one of the most important business areas for any central bank. But what exactly is money? What forms does it take, and what are the characteristics that turn something into money? We answer these and other questions in the following animation film.

Die Deutsche Bundesbank ist seit 20. September 2005 für die Verfolgung und Ahndung von Ordnungswidrigkeiten nach dem Münz- und Medaillenrecht zuständig.

The German government has decided to mint a €2 commemorative coin entitled “Mecklenburg-West Pomerania” to be issued on 30 January 2024.