Coin Spinoff

[Babs Johnson]

Those who have traveled internationally, did you save any foreign coins or bills as souvenirs?

I have coins and bills in about a dozen currencies. Canadian (including defunct $1 and $2 bills), Mexican, Japanese, Hong Kong, Cuba, UK pounds, Polish złoty, Euros, plus various pre-Euro currency like Italian lira and French francs.

Cheap souvenirs.

 

[Moliphino]

I have some in my scrapbook from my summer abroad. Just whatever leftover change I had when I came home. I meant to take the 5 franc coins out when I went back to Switzerland last fall, but I forgot.

 

[Disneylover99]

No. I don’t try to save coins for souvenirs.
But I inevitably end up with some at the end of a trip.

 

[soccerdad72]

Not intentionally - most of the coins and currency we have from various international travel was just left over from the trip and we just didn't convert it back (or couldn't) to USD.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I've got a few UK pennies from my trip to London in 2001.

 

[QueenIsabella]

My DS18 is really into stuff from other countries generally, and currency in particular. Last summer, he went to the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea, and came back with a bunch of coins from different countries. He also got Russian rubles (paper, I believe) and his dad went to the DMZ and got him some North Korean paper money.

In addition, his great-uncle died in 2020. My husband attended the memorial last year, and they gave him, among other things, the late uncle's jewelry box (whatever they're called for men). In it were coins and paper money from the uncle's travels through the decades. Naturally, DH passed this on to our son, who was thrilled--some of the currency is from countries that no longer exist ,and a lot of it is decades old. It has very little actual value--it was used pocket change, not pristine, preserved coins. But, DS18 treasures it. I told him, when he gets his own place, he should get a display coffee table or something, to show off his treasures.

 

[Meriweather]

We didn't save them for souvenirs. We gave the grand kids one from each place we have been.
The rest are in a baggie. We will use the Pesos and the Canadian ones. The rest, no idea.
DH just turned in all the big paper/plastic money in yesterday.
Some he had from his works travels didn't add up to enough to bother with.

 

[RUDisney]

I try to spend them before I leave the country. Banks will change bills but not coins back to USD.

 

[tony67]

Yeah always try to save the smallest note from various countries - getting tougher as so many are now on the Euro.

Tried to get some small pre-euro small notes from countries I visited and I was surprised how hard they seem to be to get (and expensive)

One other problem with the Euro is the 1 and 2 euro coins - the smallest note is a 5 - so I probably have about 30 or 40 in coins that I always forget to bring with me and as PP said banks wont take the coins

 

[kdonnel]

I have a bag of euro coins and British coins and an envelope with the any paper money I have as well. That covers the majority of countries I have visited more than once.

Before traveling I order some foreign currency from my bank so that I can hit the ground running with some pocket money since credit cards in the past were not as ubiquitous outside the US as inside.

The coins are nice to have onhand to start the trip if we need coins to visit a bathroom on arrival.

 

[kanerf]

Yup, have a bunch of coins from pre-Euro days in Europe, Marks, Francs, Lira and so on.

 

[tony67]

Before traveling I order some foreign currency from my bank so that I can hit the ground running with some pocket money since credit cards in the past were not as ubiquitous outside the US as inside.

Yeah - that a good idea and I do that as well just to have some small amount of cash

The bigger issue is all the exchange scams - that's the main reason you want to do it before you go.
Some of the exchange rates are basically theft.

Also - for those who are interested - the machines can scam you as well so be aware of thet.

Lastly - never let them do the exchange when you buy something with a CC - tell them to charge you in whatever the local currently is - your CC will almost always give you a better rate - even with foreign transaction fees - better yet get a card with no foreign transactions fees.

I watch almost every video of Honest Guide from Prague -and although they are Prague focused - its the same companies and scams all over the EU and elsewhere. They have had some close calls with the scammers and I am surprised they have not had more issues. They are especially concerned with exchange scams since they are not on the Euro and get a lot of EU visitors
https://www.youtube.com/@HONESTGUIDE

 

[Smugpugmug]

I usually try to spend all of my physical money before I leave. I did find a 5 Euro note while cleaning out my dresser the other day lol I'll save it until I visit Europe again I guess.

I also have a few Czech Koruna and Bulgarian Lev coins laying around. I went on a cruise during Christmas and one of the stops was Roatán, Honduras. My tour guide (who was awesome btw) gave me a Honduran Lempira to keep. It's cool to see what other countries' currency looks like.

 

[QueenIsabella]

My younger two are travelling to England (DD20) and Japan (DS18) over the next few months. I just got them each $200 in the respective currencies to put in their Easter baskets. In addition, my older son went to England last year--he has a handful of leftover coins that he gave to his sister. With both kids, they have debit and credit cards, but I figure a little cash won't hurt if they want to grab a drink or a snack.


Euros, I tend to hang on to, because somebody will be heading back to Europe--we love to travel. DS20 went to France and Germany last year, so he took the 146 or whatever euro I had leftover.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I have some Canadian coins. They aren't collectors items or anything, just common ones tat I happened to hold on to

 

[disneychrista]

I have some Disney dollars that I purposely bought as souvenirs during the 50th anniversary of Disneyland, does that count?

 

[loves to dive]

I don't have coins but I have some paper bills from different countries. Didn't save them as souvenirs, just had them left in my wallet after coming home. I think they are in a drawer somewhere but don't know where.

 

[tvguy]

My mom was from Canada and kept Canadian currency on hand in case she had to make an emergency trip there. I inherited those, lots of $1 and $2 paper bills. I would have to take them to the bank now I guess, but they were honored last time I was in Canada in 2019. Our friend Google says as of January 1, 2021 they are no longer legal tender.

 

[jimmymc]

I don't intentionally keep large amounts, but I do save all the extra coins and bills when I get back home.

 

[RedAngie]

Yes, I have some coins and bills leftover from various international trips.