Euro Coin Starter Packs Available from Friday 14 December Starter packs of euro coins will be available at post offices and banks throughout the country from Friday next, 14 December. Each pack contains nineteen coins, worth a total of 6 euro and 35 cent, and is available at its face value of £5. Philip Hamell, Chairperson of the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland, said 'the starter packs will help people to get familiar with the euro coins in advance of 1 January. People should then bring the coins out into use from 1 January, when the changeover starts'. Each starter pack contains at least one of each of the euro coins. The balance is made up mainly of the larger-value coins.* There are eight euro coins - 1 cent, 2 cent, 5 cent, 10 cent, 20 cent, 50 cent and 1 and 2 euro. Euro notes will not be available to the public until 1 January 2002. There are seven euro notes: 5 euro, 10 euro, 20 euro, 50 euro,100 euro, 200 euro and 500 euro. With effect from 1st January 2002: Accounts in financial institutions will be converted to euro free of charge; Withdrawals from accounts will be in euro; ATMs will begin dispensing euro notes; Wages, salaries, pensions and social welfare payments will be in euro. Information on the euro is available from the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland's LoCall number 1890 20 10 50 or its website at www.euro.ie *Each starter pack contains: 3 x 1 cent, 1 x 2 cent, 2 x 5 cent, 4 x 10 cent, 4 x 20 cent, 2 x 50 cent, 2 x 1 euro, 1 x 2 euro.