Just before we left England a few years ago I received some new pound notes. Thought it was maybe funny money. Turns out the money I already had (paper) was the funny money!
I know that it used to be possible to go to the Bank of England and exchange the old paper notes for the new polymer notes but it seems to me I read somewhere where that was no longer possible.
Since we will be returning to London this fall I'd sure like to exchange the old money for new. Does anyone know if this is still possible? Or are the old notes now just souvenirs?
Posted by
Virginia, USA
6141 posts
You can still exchange old notes at the Bank of England and various post office branches.
https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/exchanging-old-banknotes
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
9371 posts
If you are going to be in London, it is quite easy to go to the Bank of England and exchange.
https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/exchanging-old-banknotes
Posted by
Idaho, USA
8511 posts
We exchanged ours at one of the London post offices - very quick process.
Posted by
SoCal
1779 posts
It depends how old. I had "new pounds" that were refused. Goodness knows how I got the darn things.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
7744 posts
If you have a lot to exchange you’ll probably need to go to the Bank of England (by the Bank tube stop) since post offices might not have sufficient funds on hand.
Posted by
Freedonia
17429 posts
You might even get the "new" notes with King Charles on them. I have a couple.
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5555 posts
The information for Post Office exchange is here, which includes a locator for the branches that offer the service:
https://www.postoffice.co.uk/banknote-exchange
The key info is that only the previous series can be exchanged, this is limited to £300, & ID is required.
Posted by
Chicago
1567 posts
If you end up at the Bank of England, the museum is good.
https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum
Posted by
Tampa, FL
691 posts
How much in pounds do you have? I had about £15-20 of old currency last year and put them in museum donation boxes.
Posted by
OP
Berkeley, California, US
684 posts
Thank you so much, everyone! I received the "old" banknotes in 2019 so I think they're from the previous series. Unless there counting as the previous series the polymer notes with the Queen rather than Charles. I don't have much to exchange, certainly under £300. But I figure enough for a nice dinner out.
Thanks for the heads up about bringing my ID. And the limit.
It looks like there's a PO on Gloucester Road and on Earls Court Road near where we are staying but I could not find any indication as to whether or not either these branches could change the money. I did click on the filter services button but none of the choices included changing money. Anyway to find out? Or we could just go to the Bank of England. Looks like a fascinating area for historic London in any case.
Posted by
California
362 posts
I exchanged an out of circulation £10 note a few weeks ago (from a 2012 trip to London).
However, I didn’t exchange it in London, as I didn’t remember until I reached Scotland. Bank of Scotland had no qualms about exchanging it.
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5555 posts
I did click on the filter services button but none of the choices included changing money.
It is under "Your Finances" in the filter with the check box being "Bank of England Banknote Exchange".
The nearest branches are Kensington or World's End, which aren't that close. Maybe pick somewhere close to where you are visiting on a particular day.