The zero euro souvenir note program was launched in France in 2016 by Richard Faille's company Euro Souvenir, exploiting a legal quirk: European Central Bank regulations prohibit reproduction of genuine euro banknotes but place no restrictions on issuing currency-format collectibles denominated at zero. Oberthur Fiduciaire — one of the continent's major security printers — produced this polymer variant, which is notably less common than the paper issues in the same series. The Brandenburg Gate release was among the earliest in the program, when demand and print runs were still being calibrated.
The zero euro souvenir note program was launched in France in 2016 by Richard Faille's company Euro Souvenir, exploiting a legal quirk: European Central Bank regulations prohibit reproduction of genuine euro banknotes but place no restrictions on issuing currency-format collectibles denominated at zero. Oberthur Fiduciaire — one of the continent's major security printers — produced this polymer variant, which is notably less common than the paper issues in the same series. The Brandenburg Gate release was among the earliest in the program, when demand and print runs were still being calibrated.