The European Central Bank is putting the continent's diverse identity to a vote – with nature versus culture as the battleground. Ten designs, ranging from cultural icons like Leonardo da Vinci and Beethoven to symbolic landscapes of rivers and birds, are up for public scrutiny.
Each proposal offers unique takes on layout and aesthetics despite a core lineup of six celebrated figures: Leonardo da Vinci, Ludwig van Beethoven, Marie Curie, Maria Callas, Bertha von Suttner, and Miguel de Cervantes. The central theme remains fixed – honouring either European ideas and places or the natural world – but how these are depicted varies widely.
With voting open until mid-September, the public has a chance to shape the future design of Europe’s banknotes. Jurors will then narrow down the choices before one design is officially adopted. Will a whimsical depiction of nature triumph over historical giants in ink?
