The ECB has announced that, during the first half of 2013, 317.000 counterfeit euro banknotes of various denominations were withdrawn from circulation. During the corresponding period of 2012, 251.000 counterfeit banknotes were withdrawn. Banknotes of €50 and €20 exhibited the highest rates of counterfeiting, accounting for 44,1% and 38% of the total, respectively.
In Cyprus, during the same period, 147 pieces of counterfeit euro banknotes of various denominations were identified and removed from circulation. Banknotes of €50 and €20 also have the highest rates of counterfeiting in Cyprus, accounting for 39,5% and 38,1% of the total, respectively. During the first half of 2012, 397 counterfeit banknotes were identified and withdrawn from circulation. It should be noted that, during the first half of 2013 the amount of banknotes deposited in banks was significantly lower than in the corresponding period of 2012, due to the extraordinary circumstances which prevailed.
In comparison with the number of genuine euro banknotes in circulation, the quantity of counterfeits remains very low.
Despite the very small amount of counterfeits, the Central Bank of Cyprus advises the public to closely monitor the banknotes received in cash transactions. For the purposes of applying simple checks of whether a banknote is genuine, relevant information exists on the website of the Central Bank of Cyprus and the European Central Bank.
http://www.ecb.europa.eu/euro/banknotes/security/html/index.en.html