Eesti Pank issued 9.22 million banknotes into circulation in the second quarter of 2025 with a total value of 321 million euros, and 2.97 million coins with a total value of 2 million euros.

The banknote issued most commonly was the 50-euro note, which accounted for over half of all the banknotes. The most common coin was the five-cent coin, which was 24% of the coins issued into circulation. There were 44% more banknotes and twice as many coins issued as in the first quarter, which is typically the quarter with the lowest numbers of notes and coins issued.

There were 6.26 million banknotes with a total value of 221 million euros returned to Eesti Pank in the second quarter. The banknote returned most commonly was the 50-euro note, which accounted for 43% of all the banknotes returned. The total number of banknotes returned was 8% higher than in the previous quarter. The cash sorting process saw the destruction of 1.78 million banknotes that were unfit for circulation, and the rest were returned to circulation.

The commercial banks returned 5.47 million circulation coins with a total value of 0.54 million euros to Eesti Pank in the second quarter. The coin returned most commonly was the two-cent coin, which accounted for 44% of all the coins returned. There were about a third as many coins returned as in the previous quarter. One reason the number of coins returned to the central bank was higher in the previous quarter was that the rounding rule started to apply in Estonia from the beginning of the year. This caused a notable initial spike in the number of one and two-cent coins returned. The number of circulation coins, including one and two-cent coins, returned then stabilised though, and it is almost back to its typical level. One and two-cent coins remain legal tender and can still be used for making payments in shops.

Coins can be paid into bank accounts using coin machines at banks at ten locations across Estonia. Eesti Pank and Omniva extended the joint coin exchange programme in two Omniva post offices at Rocca al Mare in Tallinn and the Eeden centre in Tartu to the end of 2025.

Cash was withdrawn from ATMs on 5.6 million occasions in the second quarter of 2025, for a total value of 930 million euros. There were about 10% fewer withdrawals of cash than in the same period of last year. Cash deposits of 484 million euros were made in ATMs in the second quarter, which was also 6% less than a year previously.

There were 664 ATMs in Estonia at the end of the second quarter, of which 225 accept cash depositing. Alongside the ATMs, cash transactions can also be made in 19 bank offices. There are some 700 shop tills across Estonia from which cooperation between the banks and points of sale allows cash to be withdrawn.

Exchanging Estonian kroons for cash

Eesti Pank continues to exchange Estonian kroons in notes and coins for euros. There were 189 exchange transactions with kroons in the second quarter of 2025 at a value of 69,577 euros. There are still an estimated 28.4 million kroon banknotes, worth 36.8 million euros, and 319.5 million coins, worth 6.7 million euros, that have not been returned from circulation, making a total value of 43.5 million euros. Interest in exchanging kroons for euros has been very low in recent years.

Eesti Pank expert analysis of cash

Eesti Pank exchanges damaged euro banknotes and coins. Expert analysis of cash was carried out 65 times in the second quarter as 2638 banknotes were examined for authenticity and were classed as damaged notes where appropriate. Banknotes are exchanged when more than half of them remains. Damaged banknotes are removed from circulation and are destroyed.

The Estonian Forensic Science Institute registered 99 counterfeit euro banknotes in Estonia in the second quarter, the majority of which were 20 and 50-euro notes. There were also 36 counterfeit coins discovered in the quarter. Eesti Pank recommends that all businesses and people that use cash should be careful and attentive when handling banknotes. It is also wise to be careful when paying in cash while travelling.

• Estonian kroon banknotes and coins can be exchanged for euros at the shop of the Eesti Pank Museum during its opening hours from Tuesdays to Fridays 12.00-17.00 and Saturdays 11.00-16.00.
• Damaged banknotes can be submitted for expert analysis by contacting a bank or the Eesti Pank museum shop.

Further information:

Hanna Jürgenson
Communications Specialist
Eesti Pank
Tel: 5692 0930
Press enquiries: [email protected]