Your main options
| Option | Works best when | Things to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Keep it | You expect to travel again | No exchange needed, but it may sit unused for years |
| Spend it before travelling home | You are still in-country | Simple, but only useful before departure |
| Exchange it | You have a meaningful note balance | Small coins or mixed currencies can be inconvenient |
| Give it to someone travelling | You know someone going to the same place | Easy for common currencies |
| Community fundraising collection | You have mixed coins/notes or want to support a local cause | Works best when many households contribute together |
Why coins are different from notes
Foreign notes are often easier to exchange than coins. Coins are heavier, low denomination and expensive to sort in tiny quantities. That is why a community collection can be a better route than trying to exchange one household’s small pile.
Turn it into a school or charity campaign
Coins for Change allows organisations to collect mixed foreign coins and notes using a free campaign kit. Rather than asking parents or supporters for a new cash donation, the campaign asks them to look for money they are no longer using.
Before you empty the drawer
- Keep currency you know you will use on an upcoming trip.
- Separate anything that may be collectible or personally significant if you want to keep it.
- Check the current accepted-currency guidance for campaign collections.
- For a school or charity campaign, give supporters a clear closing date.
Frequently asked questions
Are foreign coins worth exchanging?
It depends on the currency, quantity and provider. Small mixed coin balances can be difficult to exchange individually, which is why pooled community collections can be useful.
What if the currency is obsolete?
Acceptance can vary. The current Coins for Change site says it accepts foreign coins and notes from virtually any country, but contact the team for unusual or historic currency if you are unsure.
Want to run a foreign-currency collection?
Request the current Coins for Change collection kit and use the live campaign guidance for accepted currency, collection conditions and timings.
Request a free kit