Euro Counterfeit Coins on the Rise

Euro coin counterfeiting figures from the European Commission report a growing number removed from circulation in recent years, and a sharp rise in 2023 in particular (the latest year it has reported on). The number came to 480,317 – up 62% compared to 2022 and the highest level by far since the introduction of the euro in 2002.

For comparative purposes, the number of counterfeit banknotes seized in 2023 was 467,000, a more modest increase of 24% compared with the previous year. 

At the end of 2023, just over 148 billion euro coins were in circulation, of which 23 billion were the €2 and €1 and the 50 cents (lower denomination coins are not sorted or recorded for counterfeiting purposes). Taking all coins in circulation into account, the ratio was 3.2 per million coins in circulation (or parts per million – ppm). However, using the circulation figures for the three highest denominations only, the ratio was 22 ppm.