Leonardo da Vinci and the avocet vying for new 100 euro banknotes

Brussels – Leonardo da Vinci or the avocet, a shorebird that nests in muddy areas. One of the two images will appear on the main face of the future 100 euro banknotes and end up in the hands, pockets, and wallets of EU citizens using the single currency. The European Central Bank continues to work on the renewal of EU paper money, selecting the topics it deems most appropriate: culture on the one hand and nature on the other. In both cases, the draft choice is made in terms of design, and all that remains is to await the final decision of the governing council on designs, which is expected in 2026.

The first theme selected is “European culture,” celebrating the shared cultural spaces that have shaped European identity over the centuries and a selection of key European personalities who have helped build Europe’s cultural heritage. In this category, the ECB, among others, has designated the figure of Leonardo da Vinci for the 100 euro denominations of the upcoming banknotes.

“Rivers and birds” is the other theme identified when designing the next single currency banknotes. A topic, the ECB explains, that aims to highlight the adaptability and resilience of nature, the diversity of Europe’s natural ecosystems to recall in another way the EU motto—United in Diversity—by showing the different stages of rivers and various bird species, thus emphasizing the importance of nature and environmental protection. “The European institutions featured on the banknotes remind us of the core values of the European project, which also embraces environmental protection.”

While the reverse side is planned to reproduce the various “palaces” of the EU, the obverse features natural images. The 100 euro banknote is intended to show the mouth of a river and an avocet specimen sweeping the surface from the mud. It is with this bird that Leonardo da Vinci vies for a place on the future EU banknotes.

Christine Lagarde, president of the ECB, is already happy as she is, regardless of whoever will be the winner of this singular competition. “The new banknotes symbolise our shared European identity and the diversity that makes us strong,” she argues, commenting on the designs.