THE NEW €5 banknote enters circulation in Ireland and across the euro area today.

The new note, issued by the European Central Bank, is part of the Europa series of notes which are being phased in over the next few years, starting with the €5 note today.

The new note is the same size and similar in appearance to the €5 note we’re all using currently but it includes a number of new security features including a watermark of the Greek goddess, Europa, along the sides of the note.

The image of Europa – who was seduced and abducted by Zeus in the guise of a bull according to Greek mythology – is derived from a vase in the Musée du Louvre in Paris.

The new note will circulate alongside the existing €5 note which is still legal tender here and across the 17-member eurozone.

What do you think of the new note? Let us know in the comments…