Originally Posted by
Doc Savage
They should be legal tender.
No, and legal tender doesn't matter in the context of a visitor unless he has eaten a restaurant meal before paying.
Originally Posted by
Giggleswick
banks aren't obliged to exchange them for the current version, though you might possibly find a bank that will.
Correct. HSBC and Lloyds will, but it depends on the teller. I am a customer but I was not asked when exchanging these coins in HSBC.
Originally Posted by
jedikiah
The older bronze decimal coins (pre 1992) have a face value less than scrap but you can't legally melt down British coins in the UK.
I believe there are no restrictions on exporting them out of the UK though
Originally Posted by
lhrsfo
I believe that the Bank of England will still take them. A little side trip from the standard tourist itinerary, perhaps?
The BoE only issues and redeems notes. Coins are issued by the Royal Mint, which does not deal with the public except to sell commemoratives.
I expect this sort of question to become more common in 3 years' time when the pound coin is replaced. I suspect that the current coin won't remain valid for very long after the new coin is released - and given that so many are fakes, I wonder whether HSBC will continue to take them. Lloyds does take pre-decimal coins too, if you pack them into bags of full pounds.