Francs to Euro Your Simple Exchange Guide
Posted by: Ian • 22 Dec 2025
Got a jar of old French, Belgian, or Swiss francs gathering dust? You’re not alone. Many people stumble upon leftover foreign currency from old holidays or inheritances and just assume it’s worthless now. But here’s the good news: those old francs still hold real value, and you can easily convert your francs to euro and get paid for them.
Turn Your Old Francs into Cash Today
It’s a familiar story. You come back from a trip with a pocketful of strange coins, or you find a bag of obsolete money while clearing out a relative’s house. Instead of letting it sit in a drawer, you can unlock its hidden value with our fast, easy, and hassle-free process. Our service is designed to let you exchange foreign coins and notes without any fuss, and it’s 100% guaranteed.
We know sorting through unfamiliar currency is a tedious job. That’s why we’ve taken that step out of the equation entirely. There is no need to sort your coins or separate different types of francs. Just gather up all your leftover foreign currency, and we'll handle the rest. It's that easy.
A Service Built on Trust and Simplicity
Our entire reputation is built on making the exchange of foreign coins and banknotes as straightforward as possible. We’re proud to be the trusted partner for many major UK organisations—including charities, supermarkets, airports, and police forces—who rely on us for our efficiency and integrity.
- Major UK Charities: We help them process foreign coin donations, making sure every last penny goes towards their cause.
- Supermarkets and Airports: These high-traffic hubs trust us to manage their collections of leftover currency from travellers.
- Police Forces: We are the go-to service for handling seized foreign currency with the professionalism and security it requires.
This extensive network of partners speaks volumes about the credibility of our fast and easy service. We also offer a 100% guarantee that you will be paid for the currency you send us, giving you complete peace of mind.
The switch from francs to the euro was a massive moment in European financial history. The final fixed conversion rate was locked in at 1 euro = 6.55957 French francs on 1 January 1999. This rate is still the basis for exchanging this now-obsolete currency. You can find more cool historical currency insights over on Wise.com.
Whether you’re looking to convert foreign coins and banknotes into spendable cash or donate foreign coins to charity, our platform provides a simple solution. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about turning those forgotten francs into euros. Let’s get started.
Identifying Which Francs You Can Exchange
Before you can turn those old francs into euros, it helps to know what you’ve actually got. Not all francs are created equal, and their value depends entirely on where they're from and whether they're still in use today.
The most common types we see are French Francs (FRF), Belgian Francs (BEF), and Swiss Francs (CHF). Each has a completely different story. French and Belgian francs, for example, are now obsolete, having been replaced by the euro more than twenty years ago.
Because of this, their value isn't based on today's markets. It's locked in at the fixed exchange rate set way back when the euro was introduced, which makes estimating what they're worth surprisingly straightforward.
Obsolete vs Active Currencies
For these now-obsolete currencies, the conversion rates were set in stone. This gives us a clear baseline for their value.
- French Francs (FRF): The fixed rate is €1 = 6.55957 FRF.
- Belgian Francs (BEF): The fixed rate is €1 = 40.3399 BEF.
You might also have francs from places like Monaco or Luxembourg, which also switched to the euro and had their own fixed rates. If you want to get into the details of specific designs and series, you can have a look at our guide on former French coins.
A key thing to remember is that just because a currency is no longer in use doesn't mean it's worthless. We handle the whole process of redeeming these old notes for you, turning that obsolete money back into cash you can actually spend.
The Swiss Franc (CHF), on the other hand, is a completely different ball game. It's a major global currency, actively traded on foreign exchange markets every single day. Its value against the euro is constantly shifting.
The Ever-Changing Swiss Franc
Because the Swiss franc is very much alive and kicking, we provide competitive exchange rates based on the latest market data. This ensures you get a fair and current value when you exchange your Swiss coins and notes. We handle both current and older series of Swiss franc banknotes and coins.
So, whether you've found a bag of old Belgian 10-franc pieces, a few French 100-franc notes, or a handful of Swiss coins from a recent ski trip, our service is designed to be fast and easy. There's no need to sort anything yourself. Just send your collection over, and our experts will identify, count, and convert it for you, all backed by our 100% guarantee.
Our Simple Three-Step Exchange Process
Turning old francs into spendable euros shouldn't be a headache. We've designed our entire service to be as simple and straightforward as possible, cutting out the usual hassle so you can get paid quickly. It’s a fast, easy, and 100% guaranteed process, trusted by everyone from national charities to major airports and police forces across the UK.
Our whole system is built around your convenience. Forget spending hours trying to sort different currencies or figuring out which coins are which. Our expert team does all that for you. All you have to do is gather up your leftover foreign money, and we’ll handle the rest.
Get Your Instant Estimate Online
Your first port of call is our online currency wizard. It's a handy tool that gives you a quick, transparent estimate of what your francs and other foreign money are worth. There's absolutely no guesswork—you'll see our competitive rates right upfront, before you commit to a thing.
To get going, just tell us what you've got. You don't even need to count every last coin. If you have a big bag of mixed coins, you can estimate the value by weight, which is perfect for those jars of holiday money that have been sitting in a drawer for years. Our goal is to make it easy to exchange foreign coins and notes without any of the tedious prep work.
Securely Pack and Post Your Currency
Once you've got your estimate and you're ready to go, the next step is packing up your currency. You can pop everything into one parcel—French francs, Belgian francs, Swiss francs, and any other currency you want to exchange. We'll sort it all out on our end.
Here are a few practical tips I always share for packing:
- Use a sturdy envelope or box. A padded jiffy bag or a small, strong box is ideal to stop it from tearing in transit.
- Secure the contents. I’d recommend putting coins into a tough plastic bag or a proper coin bag first. This stops them from rattling around and potentially damaging the packaging.
- Include your details. Don’t forget to print and pop your reference form inside the package. That’s how we know it’s yours!
For complete peace of mind, we always suggest using a tracked postal service like Royal Mail Signed For. It lets you see exactly when your parcel has landed safely with us.
Trust is the cornerstone of our service. We’re the chosen partner for organisations that require the highest levels of security and integrity, including police forces and national charities who entrust us with their currency collections.
Verification and Fast Payment
The final part of the process is quick and efficient. As soon as your package arrives at our facility, our specialists get straight to work. They’ll meticulously sort, identify, and count all of your currency, cross-checking the contents against your online submission.
Our team then finalises the total value, and we process your payment directly to you. This whole workflow is designed to be completely hands-off for you. If you want a more detailed look, you can learn more about how our process works on our website. It really is the easiest way to turn old foreign coins and banknotes into real, spendable money.
Getting the Best Value for Your Currency
Getting the best return when you convert francs to euro isn’t just about the exchange rate. Over the years, we’ve picked up a few practical tricks that help our customers get the most from their old foreign money. It really comes down to being smart and efficient.
One of the simplest and best pieces of advice we give is to consolidate everything. Don't worry about sending small, separate batches of currency. Just gather up all your francs, dollars, yen, or any other leftover foreign currency you have lying around, and pop it all into a single, secure parcel. It’s far more efficient and makes the whole process completely hassle-free.
Exchange Value vs Collectors Value
Most of the time, the value of old coins comes down to their metal content and the fixed exchange rate. But every now and then, something rare or unusual pops up.
While we don’t offer specialist numismatic (collector) valuations, it’s always worth keeping an eye out for coins that look particularly old or have unique markings. These could potentially be worth more to a dedicated collector.
For the vast majority of coins and notes, our service is a fast and easy way to convert foreign coins and banknotes into cash at competitive rates. We keep our process totally transparent, so you’ll always know exactly how your return is calculated—no hidden surprises. To see how different rates can impact what you get back, take a look at our handy foreign currency exchange comparison guide.
A Simple Way to Support a Good Cause
Sometimes, the best return is knowing you’ve made a difference. If you’d rather use your old currency to help others, we offer a simple and trusted way to donate foreign coins to charity. We work with numerous UK charities, processing their currency donations and making sure every last penny goes towards their vital work.
The original franc-to-euro switch even had a small but noticeable impact on UK shoppers. ONS data from back in 2002 revealed a 2.1% dip in the price of some French imports. Why? Because euro standardisation cut the franc-handling fees for UK supermarkets. Thanks to that fixed conversion rate, a British shopper’s £10 bought slightly more than it did before 1999. You can dive into decades of historical data over on XE.com.
Whether you choose to cash in or donate, our 100% guaranteed service ensures your currency is handled professionally and securely. We’re trusted by major brands, charities, and even police forces, so you can be confident your money is in safe hands. Ready to unlock the cash in your old currency? Head over to our homepage to get started.
Why Leading UK Brands Trust Our Service
When it comes to exchanging old foreign money, trust is everything. You need to be certain that your currency, whether it’s a handful of forgotten francs or a large collection of international notes, is in safe hands. Our reputation is built on being reliable and transparent, and that's why we’ve become the go-to partner for some of the UK’s most recognisable organisations.
We don't take that trust for granted. It’s been earned through years of consistent, hassle-free service. It's why major national charities count on us to exchange foreign coins and notes from their fundraising drives. They know our straightforward process gets the most out of every single donation, turning otherwise useless currency into vital funds for their causes.
A Proven Partner for Secure Currency Exchange
Our partnerships span all sorts of sectors, and many of them have incredibly demanding needs when it comes to security and efficiency. This track record shows we’re equipped to handle currency exchanges of any size.
- Major UK Airports and Supermarkets: Think about the sheer volume of leftover currency that passes through these places. They partner with us because they need a simple, hassle-free way to consolidate all those odd coins and notes and convert them efficiently.
- UK Police Forces: When dealing with seized currency, there's absolutely no room for error. Police forces across the country entrust us with this task, confident in our secure, fully accountable process.
This network of trusted partners speaks for itself. We bring that same high level of care and security to every single customer, whether you're sending us a few coins you found in a drawer or a large, mixed bag of notes.
Our promise is simple and solid: a 100% guarantee that you will get paid for the currency you send us. You won't find any hidden fees or complicated terms—just a straightforward, honest service designed to give you complete peace of mind.
The process to convert francs to euro or any other currency is designed to be completely pain-free. There's no need to sort through your coins or notes yourself; our experts do all the legwork. We believe turning your old holiday money into cash should be simple, secure, and rewarding.
Ready to see why so many big names choose us? Pop over to our homepage to start your exchange today.
Common Questions About Exchanging Francs
When you're dealing with old currency like francs, it’s natural to have a few questions. We get asked these all the time, so we’ve put together some straight answers to help clear things up and make your exchange as smooth as possible.
Do I Need to Sort My French, Belgian, and Swiss Coins Separately?
Absolutely not! That’s one of the best parts of our service – it's completely hassle-free. Just pop all your leftover currency into the same bag. It doesn't matter if it's a mix of French francs, Belgian francs, Swiss francs, or any other world currencies.
Our team of experts will handle all the tedious sorting and counting for you. This is the exact same easy service we provide to major UK charities who trust us with huge, mixed collections, saving them hours of work.
The core of our service is convenience. Whether you want to exchange foreign coins from a single holiday or convert a mixed bag of foreign coins and banknotes from decades of travel, we handle the complexity so you don't have to.
What If My Franc Banknotes Are Damaged or Very Old?
Don't worry, we can often accept notes that are a bit worse for wear—whether they're torn, taped, or just showing their age. As long as they're still recognisable, we can usually find value in them.
For older, pre-euro banknotes like French francs, it all comes down to whether the original central bank still accepts them. Our online wizard has up-to-date info on which series are still valid. But if you’re not sure, just send them in anyway. Our team will assess everything, and our 100% guarantee means we'll always do our best to get you a return.
How Long Does the Entire Exchange Process Take?
We’ve designed our service to be as fast and efficient as possible. Once you pop your currency in the post, it usually gets to us in a day or two, especially if you use a next-day service.
From there, our team typically takes three to five working days to verify and process everything, depending on how much you've sent. As soon as that’s done, we issue your payment. Most people find the whole process, from sending to getting paid, takes about a week. We’ll keep you updated along the way so you’re never left wondering.
Can I Exchange Other Old European Currencies Besides Francs?
Yes, you certainly can. This guide is all about francs, but our service covers a huge range of obsolete and current world currencies. If you've found old Spanish Pesetas, German Deutsche Marks, or Italian Lira tucked away, you can put them all in the same package as your francs.
We make it easy to convert all your leftover foreign currency in one simple, secure transaction. Our goal is to be your go-to solution for any currency exchange needs, whether you're cashing in holiday money or choosing to donate foreign coins to charity. You can find a full list of the currencies we accept on our website.
Ready to unlock the value in your old currency? Join the thousands of customers and major UK brands who trust We Buy All Currency for a fast, easy, and 100% guaranteed exchange. Visit our homepage to get your instant quote now at https://www.webuyallcurrency.com.