Stones, horses, bat teeth, parrot feathers, whalebones, shells, deerskin, earthen pots, kettles, bows, armor, fish hooks, salt, rice, coconuts, cocoa beans, glass vases, silver, gold, printed paper, plastic, alphanumeric characters on a computer screen or simply just money. The journey has been extensive, diverse and interesting. Apart from its primary economic role, money continues to be augmented with human endeavor making it a symbol ripe for investigation because its exchange represents our changing culture. The nineteenth century was witness to the rise of nationalism and the use of different symbols in its communication, including national currencies and their imagery. Around the same time, significant advances in paper and printing technologies contributed to this mesmerizing collection of national canvases.  

The recent launch of the Euro has certainly given prominence to the issue of currency design and imagery. Opponents of the European Union's common currency project expressed their concern that the abandonment of national currencies would “dilute” their national identity. Even strong EU supporters were forced to recognize that “for some people, the change will almost feel like a change of identity.”

An outcome of the post-modern era, the Euro is a representation of a confederation over single nations, playing a larger role than just monetary integration. 

This research focused on how the design of the Euro notes and coins contributes to the formation of a new transnational identity. Using semiotics from the visual communications literature, this paper argues that currency notes are not merely a medium of exchange- they are a medium of mass communication.