If I have found some older coins in my mother's closet-francs, etc. will they be accepted any where in France?

Sorry, no. In January I exchanged some old coins for euros at the Bank of France, but someone on this board told me they will not do coins anymore after Feb. 2005. I believe they are still doing paper currency.

They can be used to buy euros at a (National) Bank of France. Still valid for a few years or so.

Best wishes,

Rex

You can also donate them to Unicef.

Can Unicef use them if nobody will exchange them?

Here's another thread on this subject.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...ch+franc+coins

P M is correct. The coins ceased to be legal tender on Feb 17, 2005. They have no monetary value anywhere, just scrap or collector value.

Oh, whoops... Sorry!

Shuckey darn - my zip lock baggies full of Francs, Marks, Lira, etc are now just scrap! Oh well they are fun to look at and the Grandkids will have something unique.

Actually, each country (or the national bank of each country) was (I think) permitted to set their own policy on this. So the francs are scrap or collectibles.. but that might or might not be the case with the marks or lire.

And even drachmas!

Curt, each country sets its own date for when its old national currency can no longer be exchanged for euros. Your lira coins are exchangeable until Feb 29, 2012; your mark coins have no expiry date. But Rex's drachmas are toast.

Yes, Unicef can use them. They have a special arrangement with EU governments.

Donate them to UNICEF or whatever international organization has a drop box in the airport. Even if they do not have special arrangements with governments, I am sure that they will find a way to dispose of them. They might eventually find their way to tribal necklaces in various parts of the world.

mibrownidgirl,
From how many countries have you found old coins?

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34613257

Somewhere I have some old East German (DDR) coins and even a note (no doubt there's a jail sentence waiting for me still for exporting currency).