We are our Currency: The Euro and Europe

Paris - On 1 January 1999, in Paris, London, Berlin and elsewhere, the European currencies will become subdivisions of one unique currency, the euro. After 1 January 2002, Europe will be left with only seven bank notes of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, and 5 euros respectively. There will also be eight coins denominated in "cents," a curious Americanism, indeed, because in all Romance languages or those with Latins roots "cents" mean "hundreds" but not "one-hundredth."

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