[8] Estimates suggest that the average life of a fifty euro banknote is about four years before it is replaced due to wear.

The €50 note contains several complex security features such as watermarks, invisible ink, holograms and microprinting that document its authenticity.

Euro cash was not introduced until 1 January 2002, when it replaced the national banknotes and coins of the 12 countries in the eurozone, such as the Dutch guilder and the Portuguese escudo.

[17] The changeover period during which the former currencies' notes and coins were exchanged for those of the euro lasted about two months, from 1 January 2002 until 28 February 2002.

[11] The earliest date was in Germany, where the mark officially ceased to be legal tender on 31 December 2001, though the exchange period lasted for two months more.

Even after the old currencies ceased to be legal tender, they continue to be accepted by national central banks for periods ranging from ten years to forever.

[22] While broadly similar to the previous notes, minor design changes include an updated map and a hologram of Europa.

[2] Each euro banknote depicts bridges and arches/doorways in a different historical European style; the €50 note shows the Renaissance era (15th and 16th centuries).

[2] Although Robert Kalina's original designs were intended to show real monuments, for political reasons the bridge and the window are merely hypothetical examples of the architectural era.

[11] There are several communities of people at European level, such as EuroBillTracker,[35] that keep track of the euro banknotes that pass through their hands, as a hobby.