Where to Exchange Foreign Coins in the UK
Posted by: Ian • 3 Sep 2025
We've all been there. You get back from a brilliant holiday, unpack your bags, and find a handful of foreign coins and notes rattling around in a pocket or at the bottom of your bag. It’s a classic traveller's dilemma. While it's tempting to just chuck them in a jar and forget about them, you have several straightforward options to exchange that leftover currency for pounds.
The simplest and most efficient solution? A specialised postal service. It's a fast, easy, and hassle-free way to convert your currency without ever leaving your house, with a 100% guarantee on the service.
Don't Let Your Leftover Foreign Currency Go to Waste
That forgotten collection of coins and banknotes gathering dust on a shelf represents real, tangible value. It often surprises people to learn just how much their leftover holiday money is worth, especially when you include old or even obsolete currency. The trick is knowing where to look and understanding which methods work best for different types of money.
While a quick trip to your bank or an airport kiosk might seem like the obvious first step, these options often fall short. They're usually set up to handle common banknotes, not the assorted shrapnel from multiple countries that most of us come home with. This is where a more specialised approach becomes invaluable, especially when you can exchange foreign coins and notes without the need to sort them first.
Finding the Right Place to Exchange Foreign Coins
So, where should you go? This quick overview compares the typical fee structures you'll find at the most common exchange points.
As you can see, airport kiosks charge the highest fees for convenience, while specialised online services offer a competitive balance. The best choice really depends on what you have. If you've just got a few crisp, current banknotes, your bank might do the job.
But for the typical traveller's collection of mixed coins, older notes, and currencies from different countries, a dedicated service is far more effective. These services are specifically designed to handle complex, unsorted collections, making sure you get the maximum value back with minimal effort on your part.
Our Pro Tip: Don't write off your collection of leftover currency. A specialised mail-in service is designed to be completely hassle-free—no sorting required on your end, and a 100% guarantee ensures you receive the best value for every single coin and note. It's why major UK brands, including charities, supermarkets, airports, and even police forces, trust us with their foreign currency.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each option in more detail, starting with the most traditional route: your local high street bank.
Exchanging Currency at High Street Banks and Post Offices
When you’ve got a pocketful of leftover holiday money, your first instinct is probably to pop down to your local high street bank or the Post Office. It feels like the most obvious and trustworthy choice.
While they’re perfectly reliable for swapping clean, current banknotes from major currencies like Euros or US Dollars, the reality for a mixed bag of foreign coins is completely different.
For the most part, high street financial institutions just aren't set up to handle the fiddly business of assorted foreign shrapnel. Their systems are all about simplicity and speed, which means focusing on the most commonly traded paper money. Trying to exchange a jumbled collection of US quarters, Swiss francs, and old Spanish pesetas is a logistical headache they simply aren't equipped to deal with.
This nearly always leads to a wasted trip and the frustrating discovery that your jar of coins is, well, still just a jar of coins.
Common Limitations You Will Encounter
Before you head out the door, it’s worth knowing the common hurdles you're likely to face. Most banks and Post Offices have specific policies that make exchanging mixed coins and older notes difficult, if not impossible.
You'll often run into these key restrictions:
- Customer-Only Services: Many banks will only offer currency exchange to people who already have an account with them. If you aren't a customer, you might be turned away at the counter.
- No Mixed Coins: This is the biggest deal-breaker. They will almost certainly refuse to take a bag of unsorted foreign coins from different countries. The time and cost involved in sorting and valuing them just isn't worth it for a local branch.
- Banknotes Only: Their services are overwhelmingly designed for exchanging foreign banknotes. Some might accept high-value coins like the €1 and €2, but don't count on it.
- Current Currency Only: Forget about any obsolete or withdrawn currency, like the old French franc or German deutschmark. They won’t be accepted.
These policies mean that for the average person with a typical collection of leftover foreign currency, the high street is rarely the answer. It’s a fine option for a few crisp banknotes, but it falls short for the diverse mix of money most travellers end up with. For more detail on what to do with your mixed coins, you can check out our guide on where to exchange foreign coins.
Ultimately, understanding these limitations will save you time and hassle. Instead of facing disappointment at the counter, you can find a service that’s actually designed to handle the currency you have.
Using Airport Kiosks and Bureaux de Change
When you’re rushing through an airport or strolling down a busy high street, the brightly lit signs of a bureau de change or currency exchange kiosk can feel like an easy win. They offer an instant, on-the-spot service for your leftover foreign currency, which seems perfect if you need pounds in a hurry.
But that convenience almost always comes at a steep price. These services are set up in prime real estate—airports and tourist-heavy city centres—where rent and running costs are sky-high. To stay profitable, they have to pass these expenses on to you through poor exchange rates and high commission fees.
The Real Cost of Convenience
The business model for these kiosks is built around high-volume, simple transactions. They’re great at exchanging popular, current banknotes like US Dollars or Euros. But if you turn up with a mixed bag of leftover foreign currency, especially a jumble of coins from different countries, you’re almost guaranteed to be disappointed.
Most bureaux de change will only accept a very small selection of high-value coins, like the €1 or €2 pieces. Your collection of US quarters, Swiss francs, and Thai baht will almost certainly be turned away, leaving you right back where you started. Their entire focus is on paper money that can be quickly processed and sold to the next traveller.
While kiosks might serve as a last-ditch option for a few common banknotes, they're rarely the right choice for a collection of foreign coins. You'll get a terrible return, and most of your coins won't even be accepted.
Understanding the Broader Market
The UK's currency exchange market is a massive, competitive space, thanks to its global financial standing. In fact, the London foreign exchange market is the largest FX trading centre in the world, with an average daily turnover of $4,045 billion in April 2025. You can dig into the full report from the Bank of England on FX turnover statistics.
This incredible liquidity creates fierce competition for exchange rates, but those benefits don't often trickle down to airport kiosks. They operate with a captive audience and huge overheads.
So, when does it ever make sense to use one? Really, only if you're in a pinch and need to swap a few common banknotes immediately. For anyone with a typical collection of mixed foreign coins and notes, a more specialised service is by far the better choice. You'll get better value and the ability to handle every single piece of your currency, not just the easy ones.
The Smartest Way to Exchange Foreign Coins and Notes
After trying to deal with high-street banks and getting stung by the high fees at airport kiosks, you’re probably wondering if there’s a better way to handle that jar of leftover currency. The good news is, there is. A dedicated postal exchange service is designed specifically to solve this exact problem, making it the most efficient and user-friendly method to convert foreign coins and banknotes into pounds.
This entire approach is built around one simple idea: convenience. The whole process has been made to be fast, easy, and completely hassle-free. There's no need to spend your weekend sorting through old and new currencies. You just gather up all your leftover holiday money and send it in. Simple.
The real strength of this service comes from its reliability, which is why we’ve become the trusted partner for so many major UK organisations.
A Service Built on Trust and Simplicity
Credibility is everything when you’re sending money through the post. We’re the chosen currency processor for some of the UK’s most respected brands, a responsibility we take very seriously. Our partners include:
- Major UK Charities: They trust us to process public donations efficiently, making sure the maximum value gets to their causes.
- Supermarkets and Airports: We’re the ones who handle all the currency collected in their big charity globes and donation boxes.
- Police Forces: We're even entrusted to process seized and found foreign currency.
This level of trust has been earned through years of a transparent and secure process. You don't have to worry about the fiddly bits—our specialised technology and expert team handle everything for you.
No Coin Left Behind—We Accept Everything
One of the most frustrating things about traditional exchange methods is their flat-out refusal to accept old or obsolete currency. That pre-Euro Spanish peseta or German deutschmark coin is often just considered worthless scrap metal. We see things differently.
Our service is equipped to exchange foreign coins and notes of all kinds, including those that have been withdrawn from circulation for years. This means every single piece in your collection has the potential to be converted back into cash. You send it all in one go, and we take care of the rest, turning what seems like clutter into real money.
Our promise is straightforward: no sorting required, and a 100% guarantee that we will process every coin and note you send. It’s this commitment to convenience that makes us the superior choice.
How the Hassle-Free Process Works
Getting started couldn't be easier. The service is designed to remove every obstacle that makes currency exchange a chore.
- Request Your Collection Bag: First, head online to order a secure, prepaid collection bag.
- Fill It Up: Then, gather all your leftover foreign currency—coins, notes, old and new—and pop it in the bag. No need to sort anything!
- Send It In: Drop the sealed bag off at your local Post Office.
- Get Paid: Once we receive and process it, you get paid directly via bank transfer or PayPal.
This simple, secure system is the modern solution for anyone wondering where to exchange foreign coins. It saves you time, cuts out the hassle, and ensures you get a fair return on every last piece of currency.
Ready to turn that jar of coins into cash? Start by visiting our homepage to order your bag today.
Donating Foreign Coins to Your Favourite Charity
If you’d rather your leftover holiday money did some good in the world, there's a powerful way to make a real difference. Donating your foreign coins is a fantastic choice, turning that small bag of otherwise useless currency into a meaningful contribution for a cause you care about.
What many people don't realise is that their favourite charities often struggle with foreign coin donations. Sorting, identifying, and exchanging a jumble of different currencies creates a huge administrative headache that most organisations simply aren't equipped to handle on their own. This is where a specialised service becomes a vital partner for the third sector.
Making Every Penny Count for a Good Cause
We take the hassle out of the entire process, making it fast, easy, and completely pain-free for both the donor and the charity. By partnering with us, charities can be confident that the full value of every single coin donated reaches the people they support. It's why we're the trusted currency exchange partner for many of the UK's biggest charities—we handle their donations with a 100% guarantee.
The collective impact is enormous. Just imagine thousands of travellers each donating a small handful of leftover coins. When all that is pooled together, it adds up to substantial funds that can support vital projects and services, both here in the UK and across the globe.
A Strong Foundation for Currency Exchange
The ability for services like ours to process these donations so efficiently is underpinned by the UK's incredibly robust financial infrastructure. For instance, the United Kingdom's foreign exchange reserves were recorded at $113.8 billion in February 2025, which ensures there is always plenty of liquidity for currency exchange operations. This kind of stability makes it much easier for UK residents to convert their leftover cash or donate foreign coins to charity. You can take a closer look at the UK's financial stability and learn about its foreign exchange reserves here.
This hassle-free donation process is why we are trusted by so many organisations, including well-known supermarkets, airports, and even police forces. They rely on us to manage their unsorted foreign currency collections efficiently and transparently.
Our straightforward system ensures that your gesture of goodwill is never wasted. Instead of letting those coins rattle around in a jar for years, you can put them to work for a cause you truly believe in.
If you're interested in making a difference, you can learn more by reading our guide on where you can donate foreign coins. Choosing to donate is a simple, effective, and deeply rewarding way to handle your leftover currency.
Your Simple Plan for Exchanging Leftover Currency
After seeing the pitfalls of trying to exchange currency at high street banks or airport kiosks, the best path forward for your leftover holiday money becomes pretty clear. Let's be honest, those traditional methods just aren't set up for the reality of a mixed bag of foreign coins and old notes. It often creates more hassle than it's worth, leaving you with the same unsorted collection you started with.
The most practical solution is a specialised postal service. It’s a fast, easy, and hassle-free approach designed specifically for what you have: a jumble of different currencies, including those old and obsolete coins and notes you've been holding onto. No more wasted trips to the bank or frustrating conversations at the exchange counter.
Your Action Plan for Cashing In
Getting started couldn't be simpler. The whole process is built around convenience, turning what feels like clutter into either cash in your bank or a donation to a good cause. You can feel confident using a service that’s already trusted by major UK organisations, from leading charities and supermarkets to airports and even police forces.
The UK's robust financial system makes currency exchange a reliable process. For instance, the government's expert management of foreign currency reserves, which stood at $103.3 billion in July 2025, helps keep the market stable. This stability is what allows specialised services to efficiently convert foreign coins and banknotes. You can actually read more about how the UK manages its international reserves and their impact on currency exchange if you're interested in the details.
The real benefits are straightforward: you don’t have to do any of the sorting, and the service is backed by a 100% guarantee. Every single coin and note is accepted.
Ready to finally clear out that currency clutter for good? It’s time to take that last, simple step. Order your secure collection bag from our homepage and let us handle the rest. We’ll show you exactly how to exchange foreign currency the easy way.
Still Have Questions About Exchanging Foreign Coins?
We get it. You've got a jar of old holiday money, and you want to make sure you're getting a good, honest deal. To put your mind at ease, here are a few of the most common questions we get asked.
Do I Really Have to Sort My Coins and Notes?
Absolutely not. We’ve designed our service to be as simple and hands-off for you as possible. It’s one of the main reasons people choose us.
Just gather up all your mixed foreign coins and banknotes—it doesn't matter what country they're from, how old they are, or what denomination. Pop them all into the collection bag, and our job begins. Our specialised sorting technology and expert team will handle the rest.
What Happens If I Have Old, Out-of-Circulation Currency?
This is a great question and where we really shine. Don't worry about it for a second. We accept old and obsolete currency that high street banks and bureaux de change turned their noses up at years ago.
We have the expertise to value and convert foreign coins and banknotes that have been demonetised. This means you can still get real cash from currency that might otherwise seem completely worthless.
Trust is everything to us. We’re proud to be the chosen currency exchange partner for many of the UK's largest charities, airports, supermarkets, and even police forces. Our secure, transparent process is 100% guaranteed, giving you complete peace of mind.
Ready to finally clear out that clutter and turn your leftover currency into cash? With We Buy All Currency, the process is simple, secure, and rewarding.
Order your free collection bag from our homepage and see for yourself just how easy it can be.