Originally Posted by
Mickidon
For many years, I have dutifully labeled and filed away unused foreign money
from trip for "next time." I now have a snazzy chest full of pre-Euro currency from pretty much every European country, along with leftovers from at least 60 other countries. I looked into some of the services that will exchange even out of circulation money, but it didn't seem worth the effort. I'd love to think of my grandchildren looking at this collection in wonder, but I'd give long odds on that.
Many of you must have a similar stash and I'm curious about whether it just goes into dead storage at your homes, too.
I went to Spain in 2002 and patiently waited in line at the Bank of Spain to exchange my pesetas. When I finally reached the counter I was told that they would not accept the coins, though they did take the old bills. Needless to say I was pretty livid that the central bank would not honor it's own currency so I angrily threw the coins in the air as I walked away from the counter. Clearly the occasional traveler did not have the opportunity to exchange for Euros during the limited time window.
That being said I still have some Greek drachmas, which it seems might be useful on my next trip
For countries that I anticipate visiting again in the next year or two I generally keep my leftover cash and then some, i.e. $USD $20-100, so that I don't have to run to an ATM when I land. Mexico, UK, Australia and the Euro-zone fall into this category. In fact I was a bit bummed that I did not have any Euros when I arrived in Brussels and had to use the sketchy ATMs at the train station. I am not too worried about these currencies being retired.
I give my low value coins from less popular currencies to my son, who has inherited the collection that I started many years ago thanks to my grandparents. Most of the collection has been out of circulation for decades, but in some ways that makes it more interesting.