What to Do With Leftover Holiday Money: Coins and Notes That Banks Won’t Take

Every year, millions of UK travellers return home with leftover foreign coins and notes. They end up in jars, purses, and drawers – forgotten, unusable, and slowly gathering dust. While foreign banknotes can sometimes be exchanged at banks or bureaux de change, coins are almost always refused. Even small-value notes can be tricky if they’re damaged or withdrawn.

So, what can you do with all that leftover holiday money?

At Cash4Coins, we specialise in exchanging foreign coins, old banknotes, and damaged currency – turning them into real spendable pounds. Here’s your complete guide.

Why Banks Won’t Accept Your Leftover Coins

• Coins are too costly to process compared to their value.

• Banks only deal in notes, and even then only certain currencies.

• Damaged or old banknotes (like older euro series or withdrawn notes) are often rejected outright.

This leaves travellers with millions of pounds’ worth of forgotten coins every year.

Smart Ways to Use Leftover Holiday Money

1. Exchange It with Cash4Coins

We accept:

• All world coins

• Old, demonetised notes

• Damaged coins and notes

• Pre-decimal and withdrawn UK coins

Simply post your coins to us or arrange a secure collection for large amounts. We do the sorting and counting, and you get fast payment straight into your account.

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2. Donate It to Charity

Many charities run foreign coin collection drives. Donating leftover coins is a guilt-free way to give – you’re not parting with spendable money, and the charity can exchange it into valuable funds with us.

3. Create a “Travel Fund Jar”

Keep leftover holiday money ready for your next trip. Euros and dollars are particularly useful if you plan to travel to the same region again.

4. Sell Rare or Collectable Notes

Some old or unusual banknotes may have collector value beyond their face value. We can help identify and value these for you.

Comparison Table: Options for Leftover Holiday Money

Option	Pros	Cons
Keep It	Handy for next holiday	Risk of losing or forgetting it
Bank / Bureau	Easy for notes (in major currencies)	Won’t accept coins, limited currencies
Donate to Charity	Helps good causes, positive impact	You don’t get the money back
Sell to Collectors	Can exceed face value	Only works for rare coins/notes
Use Cash4Coins	Accepts ALL coins and notes, fast payment, secure	Small processing fee deducted

FAQs: Leftover Foreign Coins

Q: Can I exchange coins at the airport?

A: No. Airport bureaus typically only take banknotes, and at poor rates.

Q: Will my bank take foreign coins?

A: No. UK banks only accept certain banknotes, never coins.

Q: What about old UK coins, like round £1s?

A: Banks don’t take them anymore, but we do.

Q: How quickly do I get paid?

A: Once we receive your coins, most payments are made within a few working days.

Q: Do you accept pre-decimal coins?

A: Yes. From old shillings to sixpences, we’ll exchange them into pounds.

Why Choose Cash4Coins

• Trusted by thousands of individuals, businesses, and charities.

• Secure and compliant with UK financial regulations.

• Fast, transparent payments direct to your bank account.

• Convenient service – post or arrange collection.

Don’t Let Your Holiday Money Go to Waste

That jar of leftover holiday coins could be worth more than you think. Whether you want to cash it in for yourself or donate it to a charity, we make it easy.

👉 Get started with Cash4Coins today and turn your old travel money into real value.

Start Exchange