I have a jar with several hundred 1 and 2 euro coins, can I use them in France?
Aug 28, 2023, 11:36 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2023
Posts: 34
I have a jar with several hundred 1 and 2 euro coins, can I use them in France?
somehow I have a jar with several hundred 1 and 2 euro coins that I collected over the years after returning from Europe.
can I use them on an upcoming trip to France? do most places accept payment using coins? (for example, to pay a restaurant bill with 50 1-euro coins?) Or are there places that I can just dump all the coins and exchange for paper euro money? (banks, or Coinstar machines like we have here in the US)
Thanks1
can I use them on an upcoming trip to France? do most places accept payment using coins? (for example, to pay a restaurant bill with 50 1-euro coins?) Or are there places that I can just dump all the coins and exchange for paper euro money? (banks, or Coinstar machines like we have here in the US)
Thanks1
Aug 28, 2023, 12:37 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Paris, France
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Most places are happy to get change because it is often lacking. I pay my GP in coins and she loves me for it.
My local Leclerc supermarket at Rosa Parks has a coin changing machine, but it only gives you a coupon for the corresponding amount to be spent there.
My local Leclerc supermarket at Rosa Parks has a coin changing machine, but it only gives you a coupon for the corresponding amount to be spent there.
Aug 28, 2023, 2:24 pm
#3
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Believe me, if you pay a 50€ bill in a restaurant with 1€ coins, they are not going to look at you nicely, although legally they can't refuse. Just go to a bank and change your coins to bills. It will avoid you also the hassle to carry your "jar" with you all the time !
Aug 28, 2023, 7:48 pm
#4
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Join Date: Aug 2023
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Believe me, if you pay a 50€ bill in a restaurant with 1€ coins, they are not going to look at you nicely, although legally they can't refuse. Just go to a bank and change your coins to bills. It will avoid you also the hassle to carry your "jar" with you all the time !
Thanks!
Aug 28, 2023, 11:31 pm
#6
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Aug 29, 2023, 3:48 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2011
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To be fair, MacDo is quite decent in France. But honestly, the invasion of American chains needs to stop.
Sure, it's totally fine to go to a café and pay small amounts in coins. But please don't pay for a 30€ restaurant bill in coins. Legally acceptable as mentioned, but the server would be pissed in the same way as if you tried the same tactic in the US or anywhere else in the world.
Or failing that, if you need to go to a hypermarket/supermarket, many of them have a coin-counting machine that takes all your coins and issues a store voucher for that amount. I think like Coinstar in the US.
Sure, it's totally fine to go to a café and pay small amounts in coins. But please don't pay for a 30€ restaurant bill in coins. Legally acceptable as mentioned, but the server would be pissed in the same way as if you tried the same tactic in the US or anywhere else in the world.
Or failing that, if you need to go to a hypermarket/supermarket, many of them have a coin-counting machine that takes all your coins and issues a store voucher for that amount. I think like Coinstar in the US.
Aug 29, 2023, 9:44 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2005
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The last Coinstar I saw in France (2023, Intermarché supermarket) takes a 9,75% fee. That's pretty significant on large amounts of coins, plus you have to spend the voucher in that particular store.
Paying amounts under € 15 in coins, leaving coins as tips when paying by card in a café, paying exact change at the Boulangerie or in a Market, will all be much appreciated.
Paying amounts under € 15 in coins, leaving coins as tips when paying by card in a café, paying exact change at the Boulangerie or in a Market, will all be much appreciated.
Aug 29, 2023, 11:56 am
#10
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Hi,
Also at some smaller tourist attractions they may appreciate exact change ( and occassionally they have offered to exchange 1 or 2 euro coins for a 10 or 20 euro note
( also good for tipping housekeeping in hotels etc ) or some pay w.c's if you are out and about
If travelling by air, it might be worthwhile to keep the change in a separate ( coin bag) and take it out and place it separately in the tray for security ( ie beside your toiletry bag) as sometimes it shows up as a blob and could cause your hand baggage to be sent to secondary screening
Regards
TBS
Also at some smaller tourist attractions they may appreciate exact change ( and occassionally they have offered to exchange 1 or 2 euro coins for a 10 or 20 euro note
( also good for tipping housekeeping in hotels etc ) or some pay w.c's if you are out and about
If travelling by air, it might be worthwhile to keep the change in a separate ( coin bag) and take it out and place it separately in the tray for security ( ie beside your toiletry bag) as sometimes it shows up as a blob and could cause your hand baggage to be sent to secondary screening
Regards
TBS
Aug 29, 2023, 11:59 am
#11
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Join Date: Aug 2023
Posts: 34
guess why I went? I went there beause EuroDisney opened and I just had to go. I still remember the news that year about some French people protesting and/or boycotting EuroDisney because it was an insult to French culture.
sorry....
Last edited by phonestand; Aug 29, 2023 at 12:06 pm
Aug 29, 2023, 3:43 pm
#12
Join Date: Sep 2012
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I have not done it in France, but in Spain and Germany waiters were very happy to accept €50 in coins in denominations of 10c to €2. In fact, if they are not busy they often ask if I have any more coins.
In France the most I have done is put 50 or so 5c/10c into a machine in a bakery, they didn't have a problem with that, otherwise plan to spend €30 in an Auchan.
Most commercial banks refuse to change euros to euros for non customers.
Although In Germany normally I just go to the Bundesbank who will take all coins, but it's only open weekdays in the morning and there are only branches in a few big cities.
In France the most I have done is put 50 or so 5c/10c into a machine in a bakery, they didn't have a problem with that, otherwise plan to spend €30 in an Auchan.
Most commercial banks refuse to change euros to euros for non customers.
Although In Germany normally I just go to the Bundesbank who will take all coins, but it's only open weekdays in the morning and there are only branches in a few big cities.
Aug 29, 2023, 4:44 pm
#13
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Join Date: Aug 2023
Posts: 34
that was my experience as well.... I forgot the name of the bank, but it was a couple of minutes from the Paris Opera. I had probably 50 euro coins(1 or 2 euros). The lady looked at me and then at the coins... she started shaking her and said "NO"(in English). :
By the way, I think I have a bigger "problem" than I originally thought. Just finished counting the coins. Had no idea that the jar contained so many coins.
I have 476 euros in coins. (1 euro coins = 252... 2 euro coins = 112)
There were also around 30 one-pound British coins mixed in there somehow.
By the way, I think I have a bigger "problem" than I originally thought. Just finished counting the coins. Had no idea that the jar contained so many coins.
I have 476 euros in coins. (1 euro coins = 252... 2 euro coins = 112)
There were also around 30 one-pound British coins mixed in there somehow.
Aug 30, 2023, 6:03 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2012
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If the British coins are the old round unimetallic type then they are a problem, as there is no government institution where you can exchange them and commercial banks will only exchange them for account holders.
Aug 30, 2023, 9:18 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2023
Posts: 34
France is not Sweden (yet), most people would not see finding nearly 500 euros that they didn't know about as a "problem".
If the British coins are the old round unimetallic type then they are a problem, as there is no government institution where you can exchange them and commercial banks will only exchange them for account holders.
If the British coins are the old round unimetallic type then they are a problem, as there is no government institution where you can exchange them and commercial banks will only exchange them for account holders.