# Where to redeem old Irish money.



## martje (18 Jan 2013)

Hello,


My name is Martje Wauters, I'm from Belgium I found old Irish money in a closet and was wondering if I can still redeem it, here in Belgium is not possible, anymore, it is quite a lot of money.
9 of 20 pounds and 2 of 10 pounds of the Northern Bank, 7 of 20 Pound Bank of Ireland and 4 of 20 Pounds of Ulster Bank Limited, I also have 230 pounts from the bank of England but I think they are not ‘withdrawn’ .
What can I do...it would be nice if I could recover.
THX
Martje


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## Time (18 Jan 2013)

You would have to travel to Belfast to redeem those notes at each banks head office.


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## Bronte (22 Jan 2013)

martje said:


> Hello,
> 
> 
> I'm from Belgium I found old Irish money in a closet and was wondering if I can still redeem it, here in Belgium is not possible, anymore, it is quite a lot of money.


 
9 X 20 = 180, 2 X 10 = 20, 7 X 20 = 140, 4 X 20 = 80. 

So 420 Irish punts

In addition you have 230 sterling - that is still legal tender so any bank where you are will change those. 

As far as I know the Irish punts are still legal tender but you have to go to the 'Central Bank in Ireland' to redeem them. Try googling them and telephone or email them, they will have the answer.


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## dereko1969 (22 Jan 2013)

Bronte,

It's all sterling!


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## T McGibney (22 Jan 2013)

Hi Martje

You should first check to see if these old notes originate from Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland. 

I suspect that they all originate from Northern Ireland as the banks there all issue notes branded with their own bank names - the same system never applied in the Republic of Ireland. 

If this is the case, you should be in luck as these notes should still be legal tender as UK Sterling (GBP) - a possible exception is the Northern Bank notes, as at least some versions of Northern Bank notes were withdrawn from circulation some years ago following a major robbery of the Northern Bank. 

It should be possible for you to convert these notes into Euro at a local bank or bureau de change in Belgium and contrary to another post above, I cannot imagine you having to travel to Belfast to redeem those notes at each banks head office.


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## Bronte (22 Jan 2013)

It's strange if it's sterling that a bank has refused to exchange them.  

Marje - do they all have the Queen of England on them?


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## Time (22 Jan 2013)

Northern Ireland bank notes are not legal tender outside of NI.

A person on the mainland UK is not obligated to accept them in payment of a debt therefore I am not surprised that a bank in Belgium has refused to redeem them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland_banknotes



> Banknotes have been issued for use specifically in Northern Ireland since 1929, and are denominated in pounds sterling. They are legal currency in Northern Ireland but technically not legal tender in any other country in the United Kingdom (or other territories which use sterling)[1]. However, the banknotes are still widely accepted as currency by larger merchants and institutions elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Issuing banks have been granted legal rights to issue currency, and back the notes with deposits at the Bank of England.



As for the Northern Bank banknotes. They are still redeemable.


> Following the theft of £22 million from its money handling centre in Belfast on 22 December 2004, allegedly by the Provisional IRA, Northern Bank announced on 7 January 2005 that all its notes were to be recalled and reissued in different colours and styles, and using the bank's new logo. The reissue began on 14 March 2005 and was scheduled to take one month; *old notes remain exchangeable at branches of Northern Bank*


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## ardmacha (27 Jan 2013)

Banks in Belgium would not wish to change these as they could only sell them to people going to NI. Perhaps a Brussels branch of the bank that issued them might take them, but I wouldn't bet on it. 



> old notes remain exchangeable at branches of Northern Bank



Which is of course Danske bank now.


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