But as with any major change, there will be a grace period and travelers heading to any of the 12 European countries that are converting today to the euro single currency shouldn't worry about not being able to secure spending money.

Euro travelers checks, which are widely accepted in Europe, have been available for some time. Calls to various banks, travel services and exchanges showed that getting your hands on hard euro currency may take a few days, however, depending on where you go.

Banks and other exchange outlets say they have been getting some questions about replacing native currency with the euro in Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain but don't characterize it as a rush.

"There's been a lot of publicity. People are very educated about it," said Ade Oriola, assistant vice president for Seaway National Bank of Chicago's operations at O'Hare International Airport.

Seaway has exchange locations in Terminals 1, 2, and 3 as well as the upper and lower levels of Terminal 5.

Oriola said Seaway is stocked with euros, which will be available to travelers today for a $3 transaction fee. He said he has had about 50 questions about the new currency during the past week.

Outside of O'Hare, travelers will have to wait a few days to exchange their dollars for euros. American Express Travel Services, in Schaumburg, for example, will have it available on Jan. 3 for a $3 fee.

At Continental Foreign Exchange Services at the Hawthorn Shopping Center in Vernon Hills, which is one of the few non-bank suburban locations where you can buy foreign currency, the euro won't be available until Saturday.

"I really thought we would have tons of people but no, it's just a regular business day," said owner Eva Adamski. "At this time of year, many people are at home or they're already in Europe."

The best bet for getting the currency is large banks with foreign currency departments, such as LaSalle or Harris, Bank One or Northern Trust. That likely will require a trip to the main office, although customers can order the euros at branches for a fee.

At LaSalle, for example, euros will be available on Thursday but only at the main bank downtown and a north side branch, with a 1 percent charge for customers and 5 percent for non-customers. Euros also can be ordered from any branch with an additional delivery fee of $7.50 to $19, depending on how quickly you want them, said Damarron Jackson, a senior teller at LaSalle.

Both Adamski and Jackson said they have been getting calls from people who think the old money will become worthless and they'll be stuck with the foreign currency they have.

"We've also been getting a number of calls over the last two weeks from people wanting to buy currency from the countries that will be using the euro," said Pedro Gonzales, Midwest sales manager for Travelex Currency Services of Naperville. "They want to have something to hold on to for nostalgia."

Travelex will have euro currency on Monday, he said.

Although euros will be available in Europe in automated teller machines and foreign exchange offices, most countries will continue to use their currency with the euro for the next few weeks, according to American Express. National currencies will be retired as legal tender on Feb. 28 in eight of the 12 countries. The German mark was retired Monday, the Netherlands' guilder is up on Jan. 28, the Irish punt on Feb. 9 and the French franc on Feb. 17.

- Daily Herald Staff Writer Deborah Kadin contributed to this report