How can I spot counterfeit money? How did Germany’s gold reserves come into being? Interesting expert lectures, contests with wonderful prizes on offer and activities specially designed for children: the Bundesbank’s stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair had much to offer to visitors.

© Frank Rumpenhorst

Detecting counterfeits

“Show us the counterfeits!” was the request of many of the visitors to the Bundesbank’s stand. There, the Bundesbank’s experts explained to them a simple way of detecting counterfeit money. In addition, interested visitors were given an exclusive sneak peek of the new €100 and €200 banknotes, which are scheduled to be rolled out on 28 May 2019.

© Frank Rumpenhorst

What does gold sound like?

There was also much to find out at the Book Fair on the topic of gold. Dr Hendrik Mäkeler, Head of Numismatics and Monetary History at the Bundesbank, and Wolfgang Schulte of the Bundesbank’s Gold Competence Centre provided exciting background on the genesis of Germany’s gold reserves. Visitors were even shown a “sound test” where they could hear how real gold coins sound. In the words of one visitor, “Now I can even tell real coins and counterfeits apart by their sound.”

© Frank Rumpenhorst

“Look, it’s a giant euro!”

There were things to be discovered for children, too. A Bundesbank employee read aloud from the children’s book Dem Geld auf der Spur (All eyes on the money trail), in which, while solving a case, little detectives find out what the Bundesbank does. A popular motif for photographs for kiddies and grown-ups alike was the euro mascot walking around the Bundesbank’s stand on Book Fair opening days. Quiz participants had the opportunity to win a €5 collectors’ coin featuring the trademark red polymer ring. Winners will be notified in writing in the coming weeks.