Sunday, January 15, 2017

How to Dispose of Unwanted Money

Tomorrow I'll be stopping at the post office to drop off a box filled with foreign coins and banknotes.

Last year, at Newcastle International Airport, I showed my nephews an easier way to dispose of foreign currency. I led them to a big, bubble-shaped currency donation bin, then handed them some UK coins. As you can see in the picture at the top of this post, they were happy to perform The Disposal. 

They didn't think to rush over to a concession to buy candy with their new-found wealth. I'm grateful they want to help others.

I was thinking about this coin-drop the other day as I was sorting through my collection of leftover foreign currency. I always tell myself the money will be useful "the next time I go."

Eight of the currencies are no long in circulation. Euros have overtaken francs and lira, China has superseded the UK as master of Hong Kong. Some coins are probably worthless, and can't be traded for today's currencies. I regret not always following the example I taught my nephews.

In Japan I have a currency disposal system. Before leaving Japan I tip a bagful of my accumulated 1 and 5 Yen coins into a temple donation box. 
This is a noisy exercise, so I always choose a quiet temple where I won't alarm local sensibilities with my ostentatious display of apparent generosity. I'm grateful for the peace and beauty of Japan's temples.

But what do I do with all the different currencies I've collected in a drawer over the years? 

UNICEF has a Change for Good program. All I have to do is mail the currencies to a New York City address. Here's the inventory of currencies I'm sending:
Country
Amount
Currency
US Dollars
Notes
Argentina
1
Peso
$0.06

Chile
3000
Peso
$4.55

Canada
3
Dollar
$2.29

Denmark
27
Krone
$3.86

Finland
74
Markka
$12.04

France
56
Franc
$9.10
Pre-euro, possibly worthless
Germany
30
Mark
$62.45
Pre-euro, still convertible
Hong Kong
8
Dollar
$1.03
Pre-sovereignty transfer, probably still legal
Iceland
10
Krone
$0.88

India
173
Rupee
$2.50
It's illegal to take currency out of India
Israel
41
Shekel
$10.73

Italy
60
Lira
$0.03
Pre-euro, probably worthless
Japan
1408
Yen
$12.29
Small coins I don't want to carry on my next trip
Macau
12
Pataca
$0.25
Pre-sovereignty transfer, probably still legal
Netherlands
1
Guilder
$0.48
Pre-euro, probably worthless
Norway
18
Krone
$2.12

Spain
5
Peseta
$0.03
Pre-euro, probably worthless
Sweden
96
Krona
$10.77

Switzerland
8
Franc
$7.94

Thailand
2
Baht
$0.06

Turkey
5
Lira
$1.34

UK
3
Pound
$3.65
Small coins I don't want to carry on my next trip


Total
$148.45

Note: I used XE to convert legal tender, and CoinMill to convert obsolete currencies.

This picks up on three of my current themes: 
  1. Simplify.
    Eliminating abandoned bags of coins and notes helps unclutter our lives.
  2. Small steps.
    $148 is a small donation, but it's better than no donation. In 2010, we walked through the north of England for 330 miles, one step at a time. Next week, I will complete 39 radiation therapy sessions, one morning at a time.
  3. Act on what I am for (rather than what I am against).
    The UN is a necessary, though flawed, institution. As well as providing a forum for nations to at least pay lip service to world peace, the UN runs vital agencies like UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the World Meteorological Organization. 

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