US 100 dollar notes
 

I will be soon travelling Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand and I wanted to carry some 100 USD notes as a backup to my ATM card. Any advice on what will be accepted by banks? I've read that the banks won't take torn, dirty or marked-up notes and that some years like 2003 or anything older won't be accepted. Can anyone tell me which years will be accepted at banks?

I can't remember what series of notes is not accepted because it was forged so much. But basically as notes last such a short time it is not a big issue. Because any note that old will almost certainly be rejected because it is too creased or dirty.

I would go to your local Bank and ask for some new notes. (in the UK I have not had a problem with this) and then I get totally brand new USD100 notes (just remember not to then fold them.

For VN, yep they don't like tears or marks. They don't have to be new. Creases are fine.

VN is a good place to use up any unwanted Yen, Euros, UK Pounds etc.

Unwanted??????:confused:

Send 'em to me. :D

Got to be the Washington "Big Heads" (not the old 100's style with the small George Washington portrait). Get 2006 or later notes. 2009 even better. No CB serial numbers. Notes should not be torn, marked, overly folded or creased, etc. A simple single fold or crease is usually OK. A tall order, but all over SE Asia, these more perfect notes are demanded. The only reliable way to get them is old fashioned manual effort. Inside a bank branch. Preferably when it's not too busy since the tellers may have to take a while to round up decent notes from different windows or from the back.

Unlike PI, where ALL denominations get the same exchange rate, in Thailand $50 and $100 bills get a better exchange rate.

No, you don't want to deal with banks other than their forex exchange windows, and yes, there is a series of $100 bills they won't take.

And no, I don't remember the sequence.

No, they won't take wrinkled, torn, ugly currency, but they will take folded bills.

Can't speak for other countries, but Imagine it's not much different.

EmailKid

Cambodia doesn't seem to have a fear of bills unless they are ripped. There's an expectation that higher denominations will be in better shape but the smaller bills are taken even if downright ratty.

Ben Franklin portraits is still the unofficial standard for exchanging money to local currency.

The new series with the big head is accepted. Older one or the new series with markings will definitely not be accepted universally. Creases, older/worn one's is dependent on the changers.

Many places in Asia will give two rates for US to local exchange, one for $100's and another one for <$100.

Thailand yes. Cambodia no.

IME, Thailand has a separate rate for $50 and $100, but I've even seen THREE rates: $50 and $100 and everything else. For Euro, not so much ...

In PI only saw one exchange rate, and IIRC even exchanged some $10 bills without a problem.

EmailKid

I managed to find a few clean, crisp Ben Franklin notes, all from 2006 - I had to visit three banks, searched through a lot of tatty notes and most are from 2003 - the year that no one outside of the US will accept. From searching the web, I have the impression that there are a lot of counterfeit 2003 notes out there.

2003 and some other prior years were indeed heavily counterfeited and passed outside the USA, especially in Asia. If you have time though, you can sort of put an "order" in and if you give the bank a couple of days, they can round up some more 100's for you.

Longshot: If you live near a casino, usually they have nicest, crispest, cleanest 100's to hand out, and they'll usually cash a check. I'm not suggesting that you need to play. :D

Thailand divides their rates into 1) $100/$50 2) $20/$10 and 3) $5/$1.

Cambodia does nothing of the sort.

:o

I exchanged some $100 bills at a Vietcombank that were in pretty bad shape (no tears though, just creased, soiled, one even a little faded)... the teller examined them closely, but took them without question.

There is picky, then there is Indonesia
 

Most Asian countries are picky about the banknotes, but it is at another level in Jakarta. They want mint condition notes, period. You know how many Asian moneychangers put their small rubber stamp on the back, so they have verified that they believe the note is not counterfeit? That makes the otherwise mint condition note unacceptable to many in Jakarta.

I have heard that they are picky about notes in Myanmar as well, but I have never been there so I can't compare.