# Montenegro money supply **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 10, 2024, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montenegro-money-supply/1001352 "2024-05-10T11:41:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montenegro-money-supply/1001352/21 "2024-05-13T16:55:44Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > And that’s not even considering the costs of collecting old bills, shipping them to another country, and shipping the new ones back. Don’t forget to count the cost of security for this transport. Who’s going to absorb these costs? Probably no one, which is why it usually doesn’t happen. If it’s the “official” currency, yes it will happen. It’s the alternative to printing and managing your own currency, and probably cheaper. (If there are counterfeiting issues, presumably you’ll get plenty of help from outside police forces). In many countries the bills are made of plastic. and hence much more durable than the paper US bills. (Canadian bills include a transparent strip and a hologram). ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2024, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montenegro-money-supply/1001352/22 "2024-05-14T14:43:34Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Who’s going to absorb these costs? Probably no one, which is why it usually doesn’t happen. Encourage anyone flying to another country to get US currency from airport ATMs, then stock those ATMs with the oldest cash you have. Done! Make these ATMs fee-free, or something, and people will think they’re getting a deal. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2024, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montenegro-money-supply/1001352/23 "2024-05-14T15:05:37Z")
> [@md-2000](#): > > If it’s the “official” currency, yes it will happen. It’s the alternative to printing and managing your own currency, and probably cheaper. It’s even cheaper to not do it at all. My understanding (and I’ve never been to either Ecuador or El Salvador, where the US$ is the official currency) is that the bills that circulate in those countries are mostly very worn out. However, if someone has first hand experience, I’m prepared to be corrected. BTW, I also understand that the $1 coins circulate much more in these countries than in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2024, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montenegro-money-supply/1001352/24 "2024-05-14T16:39:17Z")
> [@md-2000](#): > > AFAIK it’s not illegal for banks in the USA (or most other countries) to sell pallets of fresh bills and coins to foreign buyers. Would that fall under the same reporting requirements, IRS interest and susceptibility to civil asset forfeiture (Why do you need so much cash? You must be doing something illegal.) as US residents? Or would it go through separate channels like the Treasury? ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2024, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montenegro-money-supply/1001352/25 "2024-05-14T17:42:46Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > > [@md-2000](#): > > > > AFAIK it’s not illegal for banks in the USA (or most other countries) to sell pallets of fresh bills and coins to foreign buyers. The reverse - collecting and returning dead" bills - could also be accomplished by a central bank. This, however, usually requires some official intervention. In countries where foreign currency is preferred over the local version, but is not the official currency, obviously authorities are discouraging its use not facilitating it > > And that’s not even considering the costs of collecting old bills, shipping them to another country, and shipping the new ones back. Don’t forget to count the cost of security for this transport. Who’s going to absorb these costs? Probably no one, which is why it usually doesn’t happen. This is one of those “fun facts on the internet”, so take it with a grain of salt; but I remember reading that at the time they switched over to the Euro, the Dutch had an entire soccer field covered in old guilder notes and coins, that they had to dispose of. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/montenegro-money-supply/1001352.md?page=1)