New €100 and €200 banknotes enter into circulation today, which the Central Bank of Malta said, will have new and upgraded security features. The current €100 and €200 banknotes remain legal tender and both new and ‘old’ banknotes can be used simultaneously.

The new banknotes, the last notes in the Europa series, use new and innovative security features and are easy to check using the “feel, look and tilt” method, the Bank added.

It explained that at the top of the silvery stripe a satellite hologram shows small € symbols that move around the number when the banknote is tilted and become clearer under direct light. The silvery stripe also shows a portrait of Europa, the architectural motif and a large € symbol.

The new banknotes also feature an enhanced emerald number. While the emerald number is present on all the other notes of the Europa series, this enhanced version also shows € symbols inside the number. The Bank said that they are now the same height as the €50 banknote, which makes them easier to handle and process by machines. They will also fit better in people’s wallets and last longer, as they will be subject to less wear and tear.

The €100 is the third most widely used euro banknote, after the €50 and the €20. The demand for €100 and €200 banknotes is increasing, at an annual rate of 7.6% for the €100 and 8.6% for the €200.

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