Pounds to Euros exchange

If you need euros you are likely to get a better exchange rate in Paris.

Will you use all of the euro? You will lose some value with every exchange, so if not, change some to Dollars, here in the US.

How old are the notes? I ask because the old paper notes have been withdrawn for use in the UK. You can exchange them for the new notes at the Bank of England in London. I’ve also read that some post offices in London will perform the exchange too. Not sure if a currency exchange shop will accept them.

Hmmm . . . that's an interesting nuance! I think they're from 2018, though I can't say how old the actual notes are . . .

Here’s a link to the Bank of England website. Scroll down to the withdrawn notes section. Short answer is that if the notes are paper vs polymer then they are no longer used in the UK.

https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/exchanging-old-banknotes

Are they paper or polymer.

£5 notes in polymer were issued in 2016, £10 notes in 2017, £20 notes in 2020 and £50 notes in 2021.

So £20 and £50 notes from 2018 are certainly not legal tender, £5 and £10 notes you need to check.

Ugh! I'll need to dig them out.
Does mean I need to find a Bof E ? In Paris?

It means you need to go the the Bank of England in London. It’s by the Bank tube stop. At it, you can exchange the old paper notes for the polymer ones.

And if you happen to have any of the round pound coins, they cannot be spent in stores.

To close the loop on this, thanks to you all for weighing in on my somewhat insignificant issue. It turns out the notes are le papier and it's not 2K, it closer to 1,200. I'll likely try to change to dollars and buy myself an ice cream.

Merci et adieu.

If you know somebody going over to London, maybe they’ll exchange them for you. I’m headed over in December, but don’t live close enough to Boston to get them from you, otherwise I’d exchange them for you.

Curious: In what part on London will you be staying?

I had a friend that went to London about 2 years ago who exchanged my paper 20 pounds notes to polymer pounds at the Bank of England in London. He said he had no problems doing so. I still have not been back to England to spend them. Soon I hope

We stay by the Gloucester tube stop. We go to London pretty much every year for my wife’s birthday.

At least there is no deadline to exchange them. I think you may struggle to do that outside the UK as no bureau de change would be likely to accept them as they can't give them out to someone else.

You can mail them in from US. I did. Was easy.

https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/exchanging-old-banknotes

Laurie,
Then what? Do they mail me the exchanged fiat? Or will they require me to set up an account?

They will pay it into a suitable bank account. The option for receiving new banknotes is not available outside of the UK.

This begs the question: Is it worth $200 to train to London, burn a day, to net $1000.00 ?
One argument could be: That adventure is worth $200. And you get 1000 in the bargain . . . !

I did not have to open a special account. Look at the website what the options are. I am pretty sure i just had them transfer it directly to my regular USA checking account converted to dollars. Ut their might be other choices like get a paper check sent you. Maybe some fees or exchange costs built in but still fine for what I had. About $400 worth. The directions on website were clear. It took maybe a month.

Is it worth $200 to train to London, burn a day, to net $1000.00

$1,542.00 today on my phone. Your net is off...

On the train, book in advance on Avanti West Coast and you should get it for about £100 GLA-LON day return, and have 7 hours in London.
Fly with easyjet to Gatwick and it could be as low as £62, arrive LGW at 0820, leave at 1920- so that also gives you about 7 hours in London.

(both fares on a random date of 22 August)

GLA ?
The trip is Paris to London.
Vincennes to Gard du Nord to St Pancreas then a 50 min walk, which may be nice, to B of E. Cash out. Toad in the hole. Then, rinse and repeat in the other direction.

I'm warming to this idea.

David Paul

You didnt actually say that you were planning to go to London as part of this trip.

This begs the question: Is it worth $200 to train to London, burn a day, to net $1000.00 ?
One argument could be: That adventure is worth $200. And you get 1000 in the bargain . . . !

IMO NO. It makes no sense to me to spend the precious little Time you have doing this. Just bite the bullet and go to one of the money changers on the street in Paris or even at the airport and you can get most of your transaction done. Yes it will cost you a fair bit in the exchange rate and maybe some fees, but it wont cost you a whole day of travel plus the cost of the Eurostar. To me going to London just to exchange money that would be a costly hassle not an adventure.

Apologies if I misunderstood your plan.

which money changers in Paris are going to take these out of date notes? I don't understand the last post

I don’t believe there is any deadline to convert the notes. So perhaps save them for a future trip to London or when someone you know is going?

Nigel, that why i said "most of your transaction" as in, not all.