Happy Birthday to the Euro (€)

Thanks to SuperFrenchie, I was reminded that 10 years ago the Euro was introduced to world financial markets as an accounting currency.

It took another 3 years before it was launched as physical coins and banknotes (Jan 1 2002).

SF posted an interesting reminder of what some people said back then :

• The Euro] will change the political character of Europe in ways that could lead to conflicts in Europe and confrontations with the United States.” - Martin Feldstein, writing in Foreign Afffairs, 12/199
• “The Euro Will Arrive, but Then Beware the Deluge”“EMU [Economic Monetary Union] will fail to work as designed and may instead pull Europe into an economic abyss.” - International Herald Tribune, 4/25/1998
• “It will not work.” - George Will, 12/31/01
• “The European single currency will fail economically, politically and socially” - Margaret Thatcher, 3/19/2002
  

To be honest, one must say that it has not always been very popular with the Europeans, mostly because some businesses and shops took advantage of the currency change to make a profit.
But now, there is a consensus that the Euro is benefiting the national economies, especially in this time of economic crisis.

• Times Online (Murdoch-owned): The market has spoken: long live the euro.
• AP: Euro currency turns 10; seen fulfilling promise.
• Forbes: After a decade of highs and lows, Europe’s single currency is going strong.
• Deutsche Welle: Euro Turns 10 as Experts Heap Praise on Single Currency.
• Wall Street Journal (Murdoch-owned): The single European currency, born on New Year’s Day in 1999, is a rare economic shining star of the past decade.

Besides, it makes it so much easier to travel. (it is even accepted in stores in Britain, Denmark, or Switzrland).
Below is the Eurozone (in blue)