Unlike the fireworks, lighting effects on bridges and cheering people in queues in front of ATMs that marked the introduction of the euro at midnight on January 1, 2002, the ten-year anniversary of the common European currency passes without major ceremonies, which indicates the deep crisis it is going through.
Ten years later, the word "euro" in the title usually goes with the word "crisis", the New York Times writes in its commentary.
In their New Year's messages, political leaders pointed out the challenges they face in order to get out of the economic crisis
In Frankfurt, the European Central Bank published a short video on its website to remind the good sides of the euro.
"During the past decade, the single currency has become a symbol of integration and cooperation in Europe," European Central Bank President Mario Draghi says in the video.
"Despite the current challenges facing Europe and the world, citizens in the euro zone can be confident that the ECB will remain faithful to its mandate to preserve price stability," he further promised.
In their New Year's messages, political leaders pointed out the challenges they face in order to get out of the economic crisis. German Chancellor Angela Merkel assessed that 2012 could be even more difficult than the difficult year the eurozone went through.
Starting with Greece two years ago, the debt crisis engulfed Portugal and Ireland, and today it threatens all countries in the Eurozone despite the aid plans and European summits that followed one after another during 2011.
For the first time, the question of the survival of the common currency is raised, according to the AFP agency.
While it is expected that governments will massively seek additional funds on the financial market at the beginning of the year, in January, Greece faces difficult negotiations with the banks on reducing the debt owed to them by half, on which the country's financial survival depends.
Almost two-thirds of the French oppose a return to the franc, and a possible return to the drachma would mean "real hell" for Greece
Europe is trying to overcome the mistake that existed in the establishment of a mounted union, which was clearly shown in the crisis, which is the insufficient coordination of economic policies. Most European countries should in principle sign an agreement at the beginning of March on compliance with certain fiscal rules.
The euro ended the year at a new low against the yen and at a 16-month low against the dollar, although it is well above the value it had against the US currency when it was introduced.
In spite of everything, almost two-thirds of the French are against returning to the franc, and a possible return to the drachma would mean "real hell" for Greece, warned the Governor of the Greek Central Bank, Giorgos Provopoulos.
13 billion marks not yet exchanged
On the tenth anniversary of the introduction of the euro, according to data from the German central bank, another 13 billion marks were not exchanged.
About 330 million citizens in 17 countries of the euro zone will receive a kind of anniversary gift - a jubilee coin of two euros
There are 880 billion euros in circulation, around 857 billion are paper bills, 23 billion are coins. Almost 30 percent of the total amount of coins are German national coins, about 16 percent Spanish and French, and 13 percent Italian.
The least in circulation are Slovenian, Maltese and Estonian euro coins, as well as those issued in San Marino (0,01 percent), Monaco (0,006) and the Vatican (0,004).
About 330 million citizens in the 17 countries of the Eurozone will receive a special anniversary gift - a two-euro jubilee minted coin with the same motifs for all countries - only the name of the country on the back is different.
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Bonus video:
