Two decades after the introduction of the euro, billions of euros of old currencies are still in circulation. In total, according to calculations by the financial news agency Bloomberg, about 8.5 billion euros in old coins and banknotes can still be exchanged.
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Source: BELGIAN
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On July 1, 2021, there were still 14.9 million notes for a total of 5.78 billion francs or 143.2 million euros in circulation, according to data from the National Bank. These can still be exchanged indefinitely at the counters of the central bank. This only concerns notes from 100 francs, because those of 20 and 50 francs were issued by the federal treasury.
Notes of 20 and 50 francs and coins are no longer exchangeable since the end of 2004. An amount of 188 million euros did not return (on time), which amounts to more than 42 percent of the circulation at the end of 2001.
According to Bloomberg’s calculations, the German mark makes up the majority of the 8.5 billion euros in old currencies that can still be exchanged. In Germany, the Bundesbank still allows unlimited exchanges into euros.
Many other countries such as France, Spain and Italy have already stopped exchanging their old coins. Portugal will stop in February. In the Netherlands, guilder banknotes can still be exchanged up to and including 2031.
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