New durable €100 and €200 banknotes which will "last longer" and will be harder to copy have entered circulation today.
The new notes are now the same height as a €50 note, making them easier for machines to process and fit better into wallets.
In addition to this, the currency also has new security features, making them more difficult to replicate.
A satellite hologram and an enhanced emerald number make the banknotes more resistant to counterfeiting.
These "innovative" new features will allow a customer to check the authenticity of the note using the "feel, look and tilt" method.
Explaining how to identify one of the new notes, a Central Bank spokesperson explained: "At the top of the silvery stripe a satellite hologram shows small € symbols that move around the number when the banknote is tilted and become clearer under direct light.
"The silvery stripe also shows a portrait of Europa, the architectural motif and a large € symbol.
"The new €100 and €200 banknotes also feature an enhanced emerald number.
"While the emerald number is present on all the other notes of the Europa series, this enhanced version also shows € symbols inside the number."
The old €100 and €200 bills will remain legal tender and will continue to circulate until alongside the new notes and will be gradually withdrawn from circulation.
