Cashing in odd coins and notes from past holidays.

[tod2]

This little story started last week when I went to buy some Euros at a Foreign Currency Exchange Bureau.
As I waited my turn a young man was attempting to exchange a lot of currencies consisting of notes and coins.
I thought he had euros and pounds - when he was turned away because he had no proof of residence (to obtain Rands)and that no coins could be accepted, I told him I would buy his coins etc. He only worked around the corner from my shop so the next day we met up and to my dismay he brought along a lot of Chinese, Malaysian, and other Asian currency.
I felt I should honor my invitation so accepted it all. Also, I was confident I could easily exchange the notes.

When I submitted them only the Krone and some HK dollars could be exchanged - nothing else.
This led me to ask Kerouac if he knew about exchanging coins at the Bureau de Change in Paris.
No, was the answer but as I am headed to Switzerland it may be a possibility there.

Deciding to Google some avenues I found this: www.leftovercurrency.com/exchangeable-currencies.php

I emailed them and got a really encouraging reply -
"Thank you for your message via our contact form. In reply to your question: Most of our European overseas clients send coins in a box via regular post (airmail). There is no need to declare because the parcel stays inside the EU (the UK will remain an EU member until 2018 at least).

You can read tips about packing your currency on our How-to-send-money page:
www.leftovercurrency.com/sending-your-currency/sending-money-banknotes-coins-by-mail.html

Our typical turnaround time is 3 working days after day of receipt. Often we can do faster than that. In some cases, where the amount of currency is significant or the variety of currencies is large/complex it can take a few more days. We’ll let you know when we have received your letter/parcel and give you information about when the money will be in your account. We can pay in Euros via bank transfer or PayPal. Our cheques are in pound sterling only.

Let me know if you have any further questions. I look forward helping you to exchange your leftover currency".

With kind regards,
Mario

Mario Van Poppel
[e-mail]
[phone]
Leftover Currency
207 Regent Street
W1B 3HH London
United Kingdom

www.LeftoverCurrency.com

So I will be scratching through drawers to add to my little pile of notes and coins and hopefully smiling when they have calculated my hoard!
This may be of interest to many others out there sitting with drawers of scattered coins left over from holidays long past.

[tod2]

Over the weekend I dug around in all drawers and the safe to fish out packets and packets of old holiday coins. Quite a heavy haul but not all is going to be sent for exchange into British Pounds or Euro.
On the list Mario sent me there is not place for Korean Won, Vietnamese Dong, Indonesian Rupiah - all of which are totally useless against the Euro. The only currency I found a slight hope for was the Chinese Yuan but I've yet to hear if it will be accepted.

So far ready to be packed for dispatch are American Dollars in coins 9.85USD, Singapore Dollars in notes and coins 74.70SD, Thai Baht 25.65, Norwegian Krone in coins 11KN, Danish Krone in notes and coins 320.75, Italian Lire in coins 1,500.10, Hong Kong Dollars in coins 22HKD, and lastly Japanese Yen in notes 1,000JY.

It roughly equates to 200 euros? But I wont get that as the agency will take a big cut.
Maybe we will get a nice dinner out of all this effort!

[Deleted]

From what I read, the time limit for exchanging Italian lira was 6 December 2011.

[tod2]

It is still on the list but maybe I won't bother as on the Currency converter 1,500Lira equates to less than a Euro. If they want it I will send the very light coins. Could punch holes in them to make a bracelet....

[Deleted]

There is always a value for collectors, but probably not for those particular coins.

[tod2]

Just had a reply from Mario to some of my queries:

Danish Krone coins are included on the exchange form (DKK). You can indeed add the coins
Hong Kong Dollars are indeed not on the exchange form. But we do exchange these at £0.042 pounds per 1 HKD, please add HKD in writing in the coins section.
Italian Lira coins are worthless since the exchange deadline expired in 2011.
Korean Won: We exchange current banknotes at £0.4781 per 1000 current won and £0.3944 per out-of-circulation won. No coins.
Chinese Yuan: £0.0777 per current Yuan and £0.0563 per out-of-circulation Yuan. No coins.
Indonesian Rupiah: £0.0266 per 1000 current Rupiah and £0.0145 per 1000 out-of-circulation Rupiah. No coins.
Vietnamese Dong: £0.0224 per 1000 current Dong and £0.0152 per 1000 out-of-circulation Dong. No coins.
For all currencies not on the exchange form: Feel free to add them in writing. As a general rule we will take banknotes from all world and coins from a selected list of countries.

[Deleted]

Looks like I could keep that place busy for quite some time if I were so inclined.

Most of the currency that I hope to use again in the future is kept separately: US, Canada, Switzerland, UK, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, Indonesia, Brazil...

[htmb]

I suppose I added to those piles when I gave you my Sterling coins last summer so I could lighten my suitcase.

My grandfather traveled to Australia and Mexico on several occasions when I was small and I treasured the coins he gave me on his return. I'm sure I have them stashed away somewhere in one of my boxes.

The other day I found some euro coins in the purse I used when traveling this summer, but I was pleased to see it was less than €4 total. I tended to use my credit card at most places so didn't accumulate the tiny coins as I had on previous trips. Plus, I think I must have done a better job of using the one and two euro coins. Coming from the US, it takes a little getting used to using coins rather than always looking for paper for small purchases.

Tod, I'll be curious to hear what it will cost you to mail your found currency. Will you be taking your box with you to Europe to mail, or shipping it from South Africa?

[mich64]

I always seem to bring back about 10 euros, pounds etc. I usually keep some for the airport where I buy some things in the duty free shops. I feel like I will return so I do not worry about it. A couple of friends travel every year as well so I could always sell it to them if necessary. We are attending a wedding in a few weeks and I am going to buy euros for the bride and groom as they depart the next day for a 2 week cruise departing from Italy.

[Deleted]

Kerouac, I don't think anyone would take that Canadian $1 bill, they haven't been around since the last century.

[Deleted]

That's why it went in the useless banknote jar. My real Canadian currency is stored elsewhere.

[tod2]

Yikes Kerouac! I see what you mean...
The trouble with keeping coins and notes " for the next time" is perillous in today's modern climate. Already the Lira I have are obsolete, No coins accepted on Won, Rupiah, and Dong.
Well, here comes another bracelet....
In a way I am quite relieved as it makes my parcel lighter. The heavy stuff in coins all comes from Singapore and USA. Yes, I am sure to travel to Singapore within the next 5 years but I'll cut my losses now thank you.
Before I pack it I will submit a photo - just for fun!

Htmb - I am taking this stash with me and posting it from Paris. There is no way they will allow a package with currency to leave South Africa even with DHL.
I admit I am a little nervous at Border Control but have a answer to any finds. I am a Numasmitist (Hindi: the collection and study of money (and coins in particular) so am taking over a few to exchange at the Paris Numasmatic Meeting.
If they only knew - My suitcase of Proof Kruger Rands and loads of other collectible coins should really be coming with me....Ha Ha - That is my grandsons High School Education Fees.

It is so, what can I say, strange? that when in our 30's we snapped up bargains at Numasmatic Meetings. Bought famous autographs and yet have never parted with them.... Like my autograph of Rudyard Kipling on a page torn from a Visitors Book at "Groote Schuur" ( the Presidents Residence and where Mandela was for many years after he took power). Now I am no longer thrilled at this acquisition. I feel my time has come to cash in what I initially intended for the purchase.

Now I have to ask you Kerouac - why have you assembled such an enormous quantity of odd foreign notes and coins??

[tod2]

Mostly sorted and ready for packaging -

imageshack.com/a/img921/7811/JNWOuM.jpg

[tod2]

I very neatly packed my packets of useless coins and notes into a small flat box (which previously contained steak knives).
When I got to Paris I called in at a large post office and inserted the box into a special envelope with amazing help from one of the lady attendants.
Checking my emails a day or two ago I was thrilled to receive this message:

"We have received the following currency from you:

1 Malaysian Ringgit, current banknotes: £ 0.12 GBP
20,000 Indonesian Rupiah, current coins: £ 0.30 GBP
40,000 Vietnamese Dong, current banknotes: £ 0.90 GBP
9,000 Vietnamese Dong, out-of-circulation banknotes: £ 0.14 GBP
145 Chinese Yuan, current banknotes: £ 12.30 GBP
137 Chinese Yuan, damaged banknotes: £ 8.43 GBP
11.70 Chinese Yuan, out-of-circulation banknotes: £ 0.72 GBP
1,000 Japanese Yen, out-of-circulation banknotes: £ 3.47 GBP
10 Hong Kong Dollars, current banknotes: £ 0.77 GBP
100 Norwegian Kroner, current banknotes: £ 7.20 GBP (not Danish Krone)
42 Singapore Dollars, current banknotes: £ 19.00 GBP
10.50 Hong Kong Dollars, current coins: £ 0.49 GBP
231 Norwegian Kroner, current coins: £ 13.35 GBP (all of coins were Norwegian, not Danish)
32.45 Singapore Dollars, current coins: £ 10.02 GBP

We will pay the amount of £ 77.21 into your bank account today. The payment reference is LOC and payer Land of Coins Limited.

We would like to thank you for using our online exchange service. Below is a link to our online review form, where you can post your review once you have confirmed receipt of the payment."

I was very surprised the amount was so high. It cost me 17euros for the postage so I reckon I came out on top! YaY!