Um Fälschungen von echten Münzen unterscheiden zu können, braucht man kein Münzfachmann zu sein. Die einfache Echtheitsprüfung erfordert keine komplizierten Hilfsmittel, ein kleiner Magnet genügt.

The following text provides an overview of the regulations regarding the reproduction of banknotes and coins.

Banknotes are part of our economy, our identity and our culture – and we at the ECB have an immense responsibility to ensure that people maintain their trust in them.

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.

The Bundesbank plays a pivotal role in the cash cycle. It issues new banknotes and coins, as well as removing unfit banknotes and coins from circulation.

The Münze Deutschland is the official Sales Agency for collector coins of the Federal Republic of Germany. Editor of the German coins is the Federal Ministry of Finance.

For non-business clients, the Bundesbank offers cash-related services for the settlement of small-scale transactions. However, given that the minimum requirements applicable for transactions effected by business clients do not apply to business clients, the range of cash-related services available to these customers is restricted.

In 2023, the Bundesbank registered more counterfeit money in Germany than in the previous year. In total, there were around 56,600 counterfeit euro banknotes with a nominal value of €5.1 million. “The increase in counterfeit figures was driven by a handful of major cases of fraud, predominantly involving counterfeit €200 and €500 banknotes,” stated Bundesbank Executive Board member Burkhard Balz. Overall, the incidence of counterfeiting is still low and the risk to members of the public remains small, he said.

Since the introduction of euro banknotes and coins, a number of German euro collector coins have been issued every year, which are only legal tender in Germany. Issues of these coins in mint condition can be purchased at all Bundesbank branches.