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The counterfeit statistics for the first half of 2012 have now been released by the European Central Bank (ECB). The total number of counterfeit euro banknotes which were removed from circulation during the 6 months from January to June 2012 totalled 251,000, a decrease of 15.2% compared to the same period in 2011.

However, when comparing the number of counterfeit notes with the total number of banknotes in circulation, the proportion is still low (0.002%).

For the first half of 2012, the most counterfeited banknotes continue to be the €20 and €50, though there has been a 5% reduction of €20 counterfeit banknotes and a 2% increase of €50 counterfeit banknotes compared to the figures in the second half of 2011. The vast majority of these counterfeits (97.5%) were withdrawn from euro area countries and only 2% were withdrawn from EU member states outside of the euro area, the remaining taken from other parts of the world.

Counterfeit Euro Banknotes Removed From Circulation

• 2009
  • 1st half:    413,000
  • 2nd half:  447,000 (8.23% ↑ from last period)
• 2010
  • 1st half:    387,000 (13.42% ↓ from last period, 6.30%↓ from same period 2009)
  • 2nd half:  364,000 (5.94% ↓ from last period, 18.57% ↓ from same period 2009)
• 2011
  • 1st half:    296,000 (18.68% ↓ from last period, 23.51%↓ from same period 2010)
  • 2nd half:  310,000 (4.73% ↑ from last period, 14.84% ↓ from same period 2010)
• 2012
  • 1st half:   251,000 (19.03% ↓ from last period, 15.20% ↓ from same period 2011)

% Counterfeit Euro Banknotes Removed From Circulation, per denomination

Period: January – June 2012

• €5:          0.5%
• €10:       2.5%
• €20:       42.5%
• €50:       34.5%
• €100:     17.0%
• €200:     2.5%
• €500:     0.5%

Source: ECB