Where Sell Old Coins: Best UK Guides for 2026
Posted by: Ian Stainton • 8 May 2026
The best place to sell old coins depends on what you have. High-value collectible coins usually belong with auction houses or specialist numismatic dealers, while mixed foreign coins, old notes, and everyday leftover currency are usually easiest to sell through online buy back services that accept them by weight.
That distinction matters more than is often realized. A Victorian sovereign, a tray of pre-decimal silver, a bag of euros from old holidays, and a jar of assorted foreign change are not the same job. People often search where sell old coins as if there's one answer. There isn't.
Most frustration comes from using the wrong route. Banks and high street exchange counters tend to be fine for current banknotes. They're usually a dead end for coins, withdrawn money, mixed lots, and older currencies. If you start by separating collectible value from bulk exchange value, the right path becomes much clearer.
Found a Jar of Old Coins? Here's What to Do Next
You open a kitchen drawer, clear a loft shelf, or empty a relative's house and find a jar full of coins. Some look old. Some are foreign. A few notes may be folded in with them. The central question is not whether the jar has value. It is whether the contents need individual selling or a bulk exchange route.
Start with a simple split. One group includes coins that might justify specialist attention because they are rare, high grade, gold, silver, or part of an organised collection. The other includes the far more common find. Mixed foreign change, old holiday money, circulated notes, and loose coins with no obvious collector appeal.
That distinction saves time.
I see sellers lose money in two opposite ways. Some send potentially collectible pieces into a bulk lot and get paid only for exchange or metal value. Others try to sell ordinary mixed coins one by one through auction sites or local buyers and spend hours for very little return.
A quick rule works well here:
- Coins with clear collector signals should be checked by a dealer or auction specialist
- Mixed everyday currency is usually better handled by a bulk currency buyer
- Old foreign notes and loose travel money often make more sense through a service built for volume, especially if you need help deciding what to do with old foreign coins
The practical problem is that traditional routes are often set up for the wrong type of seller. A coin dealer wants pieces worth examining individually. A bank or bureau may handle current notes, but loose foreign coins, withdrawn issues, and assorted leftovers are a different job. Counting, sorting, verifying, and reselling low-value mixed currency takes time, so many local outlets do not want it.
That is why a jar of old coins can be two very different tasks. A small group of collectible items may deserve expert appraisal. A mixed pot of everyday foreign currency usually needs the fastest route to exchange it in bulk.
First Understand What Your Old Coins Are Worth
A jar of mixed holiday change and a tray of properly collected coins need different selling routes. If you treat them the same, you usually lose either time or money.
Start by sorting for collector value versus exchange value.
Collector value applies to coins that may interest a dealer, specialist buyer, or auction house because of rarity, date, mint mark, condition, metal content, or collector demand. Exchange value applies to the everyday material people bring out of drawers and cupboards. Leftover francs, pesetas, lira, mixed euros, old travel notes, and loose foreign coins usually earn their keep as a bulk lot, not as individual listings.
That distinction matters because the work involved is completely different. A collectible coin can justify research, grading, dealer conversations, and slower selling. A bag of mixed foreign change usually cannot.
What to check first
Use a quick screening pass before you contact anyone:
- Dates and denominations: Unusual years, low mintage types, and older denominations deserve a closer look.
- Country and currency: Separate British material from foreign coins and notes.
- Condition: Clear detail, light wear, and undamaged surfaces matter far more for collectible coins than for ordinary exchange.
- Metal type: Gold and silver should always be identified before anything is sold.
- How it was stored: Albums, flips, envelopes, or written notes often suggest a deliberate collection rather than random leftovers.
Do not clean coins. Cleaning scratches surfaces, strips away originality, and can reduce what a collector will pay.
Signs you may have collectible coins
Some groups should be checked individually before they go anywhere near a bulk currency service:
- Organised collections: Coins arranged by reign, country, date, or type
- Older British pieces: Hammered coins, milled silver, sovereigns, crowns, florins, shillings
- Proofs and boxed commemoratives: Especially if the packaging and certificates are still present
- Gold or silver coins: These need a proper assessment for metal and collector value
- Higher-grade pieces: Independent grading can make a meaningful price difference for the right coin. The NGC guide to coin grading and value explains why preservation level affects market price
If you find material that looks promising, pause there. Get that part checked properly. One decent coin can be worth more than the rest of the jar put together.
What usually belongs in a bulk exchange pile
Everyday leftover currency looks very different:
- old francs, pesetas, lira, drachma, guilders
- mixed euro and pre-euro coins
- leftover holiday cash
- withdrawn or obsolete foreign notes
- loose foreign coins gathered over years
- old British decimal or pre-decimal odds and ends with no clear collector pattern
This category is where people often choose the wrong route. A coin dealer may have no interest in spending time on low-value mixed foreign coins. A bank may refuse coins altogether, or only handle current notes. Online marketplaces add photos, listings, packing, fees, buyer messages, and the risk that the final return barely covers the effort.
If your money falls into that everyday category, a specialist service built for volume usually makes more sense than trying to force collector methods onto non-collector material. A practical starting point is this foreign currency exchange comparison guide, which shows how the main routes differ.
A practical triage method
Use this approach:
- Pull out anything gold, silver, boxed, albumed, or obviously old.
- Keep sets and organised groups together.
- Separate mixed foreign coins and casual leftovers into one bulk lot.
- Sort notes by country if you can, but do not worry if some remain unidentified.
That is enough for a first pass. You do not need expert knowledge at this stage. You just need to avoid sending potentially collectible coins down a bulk route, and avoid wasting hours trying to sell ordinary leftover currency piece by piece.
Comparing Your Selling Options A Side-by-Side Look
A jar of mixed coins and an old folder of better pieces should not be sold the same way. That is where many sellers lose time or money. The right route depends less on age alone and more on what the material is, how it is grouped, and whether buyer competition will raise the price enough to justify the effort.
Comparison of UK coin selling options
| Selling Option | Best For | Convenience | Fees/Commission | Payout Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local coin dealer | Small collections, quick face-to-face sale, obvious collectibles | Moderate if you have a reputable dealer nearby | Often built into the offer rather than clearly separated | Usually quick |
| Auction house | Rare British coins, gold, silver, premium collector material | Lower convenience, more admin and waiting | Usually commission-based and not ideal for low-value mixed lots | Slower |
| Online marketplace | Sellers willing to photograph, list, pack, and manage buyers | Low for bulk lots, higher workload | Platform fees and selling friction apply | Variable |
| Specialist currency buy back service | Mixed foreign coins, notes, leftover travel money, obsolete currency | High, especially for unsorted bulk | Typically quote-based rather than auction commission | Usually faster than auction routes |
The practical split is simple. Collector material can justify a slower sales process because condition, rarity, and bidder interest can push the price up. Everyday leftover currency usually does not. If the coins are common, mixed, foreign, worn, or unsupported by collector demand, traditional coin-selling routes tend to add work without adding enough value.
Local dealers
A local dealer is often the right first stop for a small number of recognisable pieces. Good examples include sovereigns, silver crowns, proof sets, boxed collections, and older British coins with clear collector appeal.
For mixed foreign change, the economics are poor. A dealer has to identify it, sort it, and decide whether any secondary market exists. Many will either pass, make a very low offer, or ask you to separate everything first.
Auction houses
Auction houses earn their keep on coins that benefit from competition. That usually means scarce dates, precious metal content, strong condition, or established collector demand.
They are rarely efficient for miscellaneous currency. One inherited coin cabinet with better British pieces may belong in a specialist sale. One tin of euros, obsolete notes, and holiday change does not. Auction lead times, seller fees, lotting decisions, and payment delays make little sense if the material is ordinary.
Online marketplaces
Online selling gives you control, but it shifts the work onto you. You need accurate descriptions, clear photos, sensible pricing, buyer communication, packing, and a willingness to deal with returns or disputes.
That can work for one or two items you can identify properly.
It is a poor fit for bulk leftovers. A mixed lot of foreign coins often attracts bargain hunters, questions you cannot easily answer, and postage costs that eat into the return.
If you want a clearer view of the trade-offs, this foreign currency exchange comparison guide is more relevant for mixed notes and coins than collector advice built around rare pieces.
Specialist buy back services
Specialist currency buy back services solve a different problem from dealers and auctions. They are built for volume, mixed contents, and ordinary leftover money. That includes current and withdrawn notes, foreign coins, and the sort of unsorted accumulations that banks and coin shops often refuse.
In practice, this is usually the lowest-friction option for common currency types. You are not trying to create bidder interest or write sales listings. You are using a route designed to process bulk currency efficiently.
If you are asking where sell old coins, the first question is whether you have old coins in the collector sense, or just old money left over from travel, family drawers, and change jars. That distinction determines the best selling route.
The Hassle-Free Way to Exchange Leftover Currency
You open a kitchen drawer or lift a jar off a shelf and find a mix of euros, old pesetas, Swiss francs, a few worn notes, and coins from trips you barely remember. At that point, the selling route depends less on age and more on type. A rare coin needs specialist appraisal. A pile of ordinary leftover currency needs a process that accepts mixed contents without turning it into a part-time job.
For common foreign coins and notes, bulk exchange services are usually the cleanest option. They are built for the material that collector channels and many banks handle badly. Mixed coins, older withdrawn notes, pre-euro money, and small-value leftovers from several countries.
That difference matters in practice. If you are selling one sovereign, one gold coin, or a clearly collectible piece, you want someone looking closely at date, mintmark, grade, and demand. If you are selling a bag of travel change and old notes, none of that helps much. The problem is processing, not rarity.
How the process usually works
1. Get a quote
Most specialist services start with an online quote tool. The main benefit is speed. You can usually enter broad categories without identifying every single coin first.
That makes far more sense for mixed leftovers than trying to price hundreds of low-value pieces one by one.
2. Pack the currency as one batch
Bulk services save time. They will often accept a mixture such as:
- Foreign coins
- Foreign banknotes
- Withdrawn currency
- Pre-euro money
- Old British and Irish coins
- Mixed, unsorted lots
If that sounds like what you have, a service that lets you exchange foreign coins and notes in one consignment is usually more practical than separating everything into tiny groups for resale.
3. Send it securely
Use tracked post. Pack coins in strong packaging, because weight breaks weak envelopes fast. Keep notes flat and dry.
One rule is worth following every time. If any item looks unusual, precious-metal, proof-like, or part of a set, pull it out before sending the rest. Bulk exchange works well for standard currency. It is the wrong route for material that may carry collector value.
4. Receive payment after verification
Once the parcel arrives, the contents are checked and payment is issued by bank transfer or the provider's stated method. For everyday currency, that is usually the point of the whole exercise. You avoid listing fees, buyer messages, repeated trips to branches, and the slow grind of selling low-value items in dribs and drabs.
Why this route works for common currency
Traditional selling methods were not built for a jar of mixed holiday money.
Banks often limit what they take, especially coins, obsolete issues, and foreign currency outside the most traded notes. Coin dealers focus on numismatic value, so ordinary exchange material is often too low-margin for the time involved. Online marketplaces can work, but only if your time is cheap and your expectations are modest.
For charities, small businesses, and households with bulk leftovers, specialist exchange services solve the underlying problem. They turn mixed, awkward currency into a single processed transaction.
The easiest sale is usually the one that matches the material you actually have.
Best fit for this option
This route usually suits sellers with:
- a jar or bag of mixed travel money
- old foreign notes from several countries
- pre-euro coins and banknotes
- leftover currency from a business or charity collection
- unsorted batches that are not obviously rare
For bulk leftover money, the best answer is rarely the most glamorous one. It is the route that accepts the whole lot, checks it properly, and pays without making you sort, list, and argue over items that were never collectible to begin with.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Old Coins
The biggest losses don't usually come from the market. They come from bad decisions made in a hurry.
Don't clean coins
This is the classic mistake. People polish a coin to “make it look better” and strip away the very surfaces collectors want to see. If a coin might have numismatic value, leave it alone.
Even a gentle rub can change how a buyer sees it.
Don't send possible rarities as bulk
If you've spotted gold, silver, proof sets, old folders, or carefully labelled pieces, don't throw them into a general currency parcel. Bulk services are excellent for exchange material. They are not a substitute for specialist numismatic appraisal.
A few minutes of separation at the start can prevent a poor outcome.
Don't list low-value mixed coins one by one
Time disappears in this process. Photographing, describing, listing, answering messages, packing, and posting dozens or hundreds of low-value coins is usually a poor use of effort.
Most mixed foreign coin lots are worth more to you as a simple completed exchange than as a weekend of unpaid listing work.
Don't assume banks will take everything
People still carry bags of coins to branches and get turned away. Banks often won't handle foreign coins, obsolete money, or mixed unsorted currency in the way people expect.
That's not a scam. It's just not their niche.
Don't ignore secure packing and insured post
Coins are heavy. Weak envelopes split. Loose notes crease and tear. Whatever route you choose, package the lot properly and use tracked delivery where appropriate.
Don't accept vague offers
If you're selling a collection, ask how the buyer is valuing it. If you're using a bulk exchange service, look for a clear quote process and itemised handling where relevant. If the process feels opaque, step back.
Good selling routes are boring in the best possible way. Clear method in, clear payment out.
Real-World Scenarios Which Option Is Best for You?
The easiest way to choose is to match the route to the situation.
Sarah with a jar of holiday coins
Sarah has euros, US cents, old kuna, a few francs, and random notes from trips over the years. Nothing is organised, and she doesn't want to spend a weekend identifying every coin.
Her best route is a specialist bulk currency exchange service. It handles the exact type of money that banks and normal exchange counters tend not to want.
David with inherited British coins
David has a small album from his grandfather. The coins are organised by reign, and several look silver. This is not a bulk exchange job.
His best route is a specialist dealer or auction house. The value may sit in collector demand, condition, and rarity rather than simple exchange.
A charity with donation tins
A charity receives foreign coins, old notes, and odd pieces of withdrawn currency through donation points. Staff can't sort it all manually, and a bank won't treat it as normal deposit money.
The best route is a specialist service that accepts mixed coins and notes together, especially one that can process large unsorted volumes efficiently and turn awkward currency into usable funds.
A shop with foreign coins in the till
Retail businesses often receive foreign coins in error. Individually, they're a nuisance. Over time, they become a small pile of trapped value.
This is another strong case for bulk exchange, not collector selling.
Frequently Asked Questions About Exchanging Old Coins
Can you exchange foreign coins in the UK?
Yes, but not usually through ordinary banks or high street travel money counters. Specialist services are often the practical option for exchange foreign coins in the UK, especially when the coins are mixed or withdrawn.
Do banks accept foreign coins?
Often, no. Banks may handle certain current banknotes, but foreign coins and obsolete currency are commonly excluded. That's why many people look for a specialist route to exchange leftover currency instead.
Can I exchange foreign coins and notes together?
Yes. Some specialist services accept both in the same process, which is much easier if you want to exchange foreign coins and notes without sorting everything into separate channels.
Do old or withdrawn coins still have value?
Sometimes yes, but the type of value matters. A rare coin may have collector value. A common obsolete coin may still be accepted through a specialist bulk exchange service. Some items have donation value even if they're no longer spendable.
What about pre-euro currencies like francs or pesetas?
Many specialist services accept pre-euro and older withdrawn currencies that ordinary exchange bureaux won't take. That can be the simplest way to convert foreign coins and banknotes from older trips.
Is it safe to send currency by post?
It can be, if you pack it properly and use tracked delivery. Coins should be packed so they can't burst through the parcel. If you think you have rare collectible coins, get advice before posting them in a general mixed-currency shipment.
What if I don't know what currency I have?
That's common. Specialist services that work with mixed lots are often built for exactly this problem. You don't need to be an expert in old currencies to get started.
Can I donate foreign coins to charity instead of cashing them in?
Yes. Some services let you donate foreign coins to charity directly, which is useful if you'd rather turn leftover change into a contribution than receive payment yourself.
If you've got mixed travel money, withdrawn notes, pre-euro coins, or a bag of awkward leftover currency that banks won't handle, We Buy All Currency offers a simple way to convert it. You can exchange foreign coins, exchange leftover currency, or convert foreign coins and banknotes without the usual hassle of sorting everything first.