BERLIN (AP) - The European Central Bank says the number of counterfeit euro banknotes discovered and withdrawn from circulation dropped 5.9 percent in last year's second half compared with the previous six months.
The ECB said Monday that 364,102 forged bills were intercepted between July and December, down from 387,000 in the year's first half.
The bank offered no explanation but has noted in the past that forgery figures fluctuate.
Over the past few years, the six-monthly figures have oscillated between 265,000 and a peak of 447,000 in the second half of 2009.
The ECB says the 50 (about $67) and 20 ($27) notes remain the forgers' favorites.
It says 43.5 percent of the counterfeits recovered in last year's second half were of the 50 bill. The 20 note accounted for 38 percent.