Deutschmarks: Still Convertable

[StevieBoy]

I found �200 worth of Deutschmarks the other day when I was moving. Can I convert this into Euros in Germany still as I have heard?....Or should I be gutted like a fish?

[paulz]

Stevie boy, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, I'm sure that the deadline for some currencies was end Feb and for the rest it was end of March. If it's any consolation [it's probably not] we lost about �50 in francs. We donated ours to a charity who somehow were able to exchange them - not sure how - at least it didn't get totally wasted. What about framing them? or hang onto them - they may become valuable to a collector? or try a numismatic specialist [cash equivalent of stamp dealer]. Just got through to the dreaded HSBC, the deadline was 28th Feb. Sorry mate :+ [

[chijiki]

You may be in luck Stevie. At the time of the changeover to the Euro the German Bundesbank, uniquely among the Euro countries, agreed to redeem it's old currency in perpetuity. There are also shops in Germany that will still accept deutschmarks.

[KARL]

As with all currency replacement, there is a difference between acceptance in general use worldwide, in-country acceptance, a retail bank and the Central Bank in question. I think it possible if not likely that the Bundesbank will still exchange these but it may entail presenting the money to it direct without a middleman.

[JohnPPotts]

You may be in luck with the Bundesbank - the Bank of England will accept any old notes (like the old Green "Isaac Newton" �1 I remember from my youth) in perpetuity - it may well be the same for Germany. Though the Bank of England refuses to comment on whether you might get more from note collectors (which you almost certainly would) - but they won't be that rare yet.