We ran into a sign at a vendor indicating these these older bank notes would not be accepted after April, 2021 as valid Swiss currency.
We asked one Swiss national, who had no idea what we were talking about. Then we received an older 10 CHF note as change, and didn't notice. At a restaurant , they refused to accept the older note. Went back to the business who gave us the older 10 CHF note, and they claimed the older notes are still accepted, but did exchange the older note for a newer one. The new notes have a translucent cross on the corner.
Is anyone else aware of this?
Posted by
Switzerland
408 posts
Yes, the old bank notes are no longer legal tender for payments. They are, however, still accepted at the Post Office and SBB until October 31st, 2021. You can also exchange them at the Swiss National Bank counters (Bern and Zurich) and designated cantonal bank offices for full face value (no time limit).
One easy way to tell is that new ones have a more slick, almost plastic feeling. The old ones also have portraits of people, the new ones do not.
If you want any more details or to look at pictures of the different notes: https://www.snb.ch/en/iabout/cash and https://www.snb.ch/en/mmr/reference/instr_recalled_notes/source/instr_recalled_notes.en.pdf
Btw - probably a lot of people didn't notice the deadline because few people have been using cash since the pandemic started!
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11877 posts
Recall of banknotes from eighth series
The Swiss National Bank is recalling its eighth-series banknotes as of 30 April 2021.
The banknotes from the eighth series thereby lose their status as legal tender and can no longer be used for payment purposes. However, they retain their value and may be exchanged at any time and for an unlimited period.
This does not apply to the public cash offices of the Confederation (SBB/CFF, Swiss Post), which will continue to accept eighth-series banknotes until 30 October 2021.
Due to the revocation of the statutory exchange period on 1 January 2020, the banknotes can, for an unlimited period of time, be exchanged in person at the SNB counters in Berne and Zurich or at an SNB agency. Please note that certain agencies have limits with regard to such exchanges.
This unlimited exchange period also applies to banknotes from the sixth series. Further information is available in the Instruction sheet for exchanging recalled banknotes. (https://www.snb.ch/en/mmr/reference/instr_recalled_notes/source/instr_recalled_notes.en.pdf)
Was not aware, but appears making the exchange for new is not that difficult
Posted by
Paris
10193 posts
I just came to paste the same Google result, official from the Swiss National Bank.
Posted by
Medford, OR, USA
5837 posts
A good reason in these day's of cashless transactions to minimize returning home with a large amount of FX currency. We had this problem in Norway two or three years ago having old 100 and 500 NOK notes from precious trips. We had to find a national bank in Oslo's financial area to exchange the old currency for new.