Europe’s shared notes and coins turn 20 at New Year’s

By DAVID McHUGH
AP Business Writer

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — This New Year’s the European Central Bank is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the euro’s notes and coins. The physical euro was introduced on January 1, 2002, three years after the euro was adopted for noncash purposes by fixing its exchange rate to legacy national currencies. The occasion is being marked by a light display on the facade of the bank’s headquarters in Frankfurt. The euro has been through its ups and downs including a crisis over too much government and bank debt. But now the 19 member countries are taking a further step to connect their economies by borrowing together to fund their recovery from the pandemic.