# Where are all the foreign euro coins? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 24, 2002, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647 "2002-05-24T12:35:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Balor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Balor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balor)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/1 "2002-05-24T12:35:48Z")
I live in Ireland, one of the 12 countries which adopted the euro on 1/1/02. While all euro notes do not differ, each country issued its own coins, which are valid currency in each of the euro countries. It was a gesture towards our different nationalities. One side of each coin is the same in every country. The other side bears a local symbol or picture - Irish ones have a harp on the back. As they are valid for use in any euro country, the different coins should travel. Each plane or ship coming here from a euro country would import hundreds, maybe thousands of coins in passengers’ pockets. When they left they would take Irish coins with them. At first, after 1/1/02 this did happen, and I began to note foreign euro coins in my change. I stopped looking for them, because they were no longer a curiosity. Irish people travel abroad a lot, on holiday and on business. We have a strong tourist industry and many foreign business people also come here. So, amost six months after the introduction of the euro, I would expect to see a lot of “foreign” euro coin. To my surprise, I have noticed that there are no foreign euro coins in my change. Over the past couple of weeks I have carefully watched my change, but I have only received Irish ones. Where are all the foreign euro coins? ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/2 "2002-05-24T12:40:00Z")
Maybe it’s an Ireland-specific issue - if more Irish are tourists than tourists come to Ireland, it is possible that there is still not enough circulation. Also, some of the Irish tourists returning might be keeping the foreign euros as souveniers. I spent a week in Spain two weeks ago, and only came across 1 single non-Spanish euro (a French one). ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/3 "2002-05-24T12:45:06Z")
Don’t worry, they’ll arrive over time. Tourists and business travellers tend not to bring a huge amount of money with them in the form of coin - just the loose change they have in their pockets. And they may not spend a lot of loose change. Paying for hotels, meals, drinks, etc, you tend not to use coins - you use notes, and get coins in return. Most coin will come in through Irish people who have travelled abroad bringing back the coins they have received in change when buying train tickets, drinks or whatever in other eurozone countries. And while we get foreign visitors here year-round, our own travel abroad is highly seasonal. The rush really only starts in June. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/4 "2002-05-24T14:59:52Z")
The Germans are already on the issue: [http://www.eurotracer.org/](http://www.eurotracer.org/) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/5 "2002-05-24T16:31:34Z")
I was in France last month and got Euro coins from Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, and one other country that I forget now. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/6 "2002-05-24T16:48:27Z")
When I was in Rome last week, I got (apart from lots of Italian coins, of course) one Dutch, one German and two Spanish ones. But Rome is a tourist magnet; in my rather rural hometown in Germany, the only foreign pieces I got were a few Austrian ones. I had expected them to mix faster, but I’m still getting only German coins here (and I check everything I get). It certainly has a lot to do with tourism; the Austrian ones here most likely came back with Germans who went skiing to Austria in the Christmas holidays. I suppose there will be a flood of Southern European ones (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek) during and after summer holidays. This thing must be a nice possibility of studying entropy. ---
**Author:** ![Balor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Balor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balor)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/7 "2002-05-24T18:02:38Z")
What I found strange was that in January, February and March I often found “foreign” euro coins in my change. Now, there are none in the change that I get. Part of the cause may be what Anthracite says - people collecting coins, whether as souvenirs or for the sake of collecting. I have thought more about this. The foreign coins are only a small proportion of the total coin “population” in a country. Their distribution is widespread, although more common in cities and tourist areas. Probability says a few people will get many of them, many people will get a few of them, and a few people will get none. I may be one of the few who gets none. I support Occam’s Razor - see my comments on two of the threads about Cecil’s articles (Geller and Consciousness). Where there are many possible theories to explain a phenomenon, the simplest is the best. I may have to settle for the probability theory, linked to removal by collectors. However, I am reluctant to let go of the theory of theft by aliens. There is also an important theory that they are being destroyed as foreign pornography - have you noticed what Sweden and Finland look like on the euro and two euro coins? Truly shocking. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/8 "2002-05-24T18:09:39Z")
For those of you who want to check **Balor** ’s statement but, due to their location, don’t have access to euro coins, [here](http://jpn.cec.eu.int/japanese/general-info/image/euro-coin.jpg)’s an enlarged picture of a 1 euro piece. ---
**Author:** ![Balor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Balor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balor)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/9 "2002-05-27T10:16:22Z")
Schnitte’s link is not a picture of a euro as it was minted, but of an early mock-up for demonstration purposes. The actual coin is quite different. I tried to find a large picture of a euro, but cannot do so. This may be for security reasons. However, if you look at this [http://europa.eu.int/euro/html/dossiers/00209/html/index-EN.html](http://europa.eu.int/euro/html/dossiers/00209/html/index-EN.html) you may see the problem with the euro and two euro coins. Because Norway has been omitted, Sweden and Finland look like a male appendage. It is very obvious on the coins themselves. I believe the Swedes and Finns are not pleased about this. Earlier versions were far more angular, and it is not clear why they rounded off the image of the two countries. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/10 "2002-05-27T10:30:46Z")
I guess it’ll be seasonal, especially for countries a little of the beaten Euro holiday destination trail like Ireland – if you’ve got beaches _and_ guaranteed sunshine _and_ a huge rave scene you’re probably likely to see a lot more. Also, I suppose people tend to take little cash with them and use cash points/ATM’s once in situ – no exchange rate costs for you Eurolanders, now. I assume ? Probably also explains why I hardly ever see Scottish fivers, etc. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/11 "2002-05-27T10:35:07Z")
In the last month in Dublin I have had low-denomination Euro coins (20c and 10c) from Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and a couple of others. I think the reduced mixing is definitely down to Ireland being an outpost island, rather than a general lack of mixing across continental Europe. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/12 "2002-05-27T10:59:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by London\_Calling \* > \*\*I guess it’ll be seasonal, especially for countries a little of the beaten Euro holiday destination trail like Ireland – if you’ve got beaches _and_ guaranteed sunshine _and_ a huge rave scene you’re probably likely to see a lot more. > \*\* Actually, relative to our population, we have one of the largest (if not the largest) tourist industries in the EU. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by London\_Calling \* > \*\*Also, I suppose people tend to take little cash with them and use cash points/ATM’s once in situ – no exchange rate costs for you Eurolanders, now. I assume ? > \*\* No foreign, exchange costs but sodding great charges for using ATMs in other Eurozone countries. The best option is a combination of cash brought with you, and charge as much as possible of your purchases to your credit card. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by London\_Calling \* > \*\*Probably also explains why I hardly ever see Scottish fivers, etc. \*\* No, that’s because Scottish fivers are not legal tender in England (whereas all Euro notes and coins are legal tender throughout the EU). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/13 "2002-05-27T11:13:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UDS \* > \*\* > > No, that’s because Scottish fivers are not legal tender in England (whereas all Euro notes and coins are legal tender throughout the EU). \*\* You sure about this? Is there something special about the Scottish fiver, as I know all currency printed by the Bank of Scotland (including the one pound note) is legal tender in England. You may have difficulty getting vendors to accept your bills (especially the one pound note), but they’re legal tender. One cite: > [@](#): > > The Bank of England no longer prints £1 notes (coins are used instead), but the Royal Bank of Scotland still does. However, if you find one in London, the only place you can take it to is a bank. Although it is legal tender, very few people have ever seen it. From [here](http://www.xiangtan.co.uk/economy.htm) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/14 "2002-05-27T11:17:57Z")
Interesting. I just found a conflicting report [here](http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/home/scotland/banking.html) > [@](#): > > These banknotes are widely used throughout Scotland, and are generally accepted elsewhere in the United Kingdom, although strictly are not legal tender. Visitors are advised to exchange Scottish notes before leaving the U.K. That conflicts with what I’ve been told while in the UK, but, hey, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been misinformed. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/15 "2002-05-27T11:28:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UDS \* > Actually, relative to our population, we have one of the largest (if not the largest) tourist industries in the EU. Perhaps the US maybe but from Euroland ? Maybe, but you got a cite ? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UDS \* > No foreign, exchange costs but sodding great charges for using ATMs in other Eurozone countries. The best option is a combination of cash brought with you, and charge as much as possible of your purchases to your credit card. What’s the problem with using cash points/ATM’s ? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UDS \* > No, that’s because Scottish fivers are not legal tender in England (whereas all Euro notes and coins are legal tender throughout the EU). As are Bank of England notes in Scotland and, I believe, Bank of Scotland notes in…Scotland. [http://www.siliconglen.com/scotfaq/1\_7.html](http://www.siliconglen.com/scotfaq/1_7.html) Also, from the Bank of England site (the link was longer than the Channel Tunnel but here’s the gist: _“The concept of legal tender is often misunderstood. Contrary to popular opinion, legal tender is not a means of payment that must be accepted by the parties to a transaction, but rather a legally defined means of payment that should not be refused by a creditor in satisfaction of a debt.”_ ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/16 "2002-05-27T11:36:03Z")
Have a look here: [www.bankofengland.co.uk](http://www.bankofengland.co.uk) The strict position is that notes issued by the Bank of England are legal tender in England and Wales, but not in Scotland or Northern Ireland. Notes issued by the Scottish and Irish banks are not legal tender anywhere, but they are commonly accepted in Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively. There is nothing to stop traders in England and Wales accepting them if they choose to, of course, but Scottish and Irish notes which do cross into England and Wales seem not to circulate for very long. I think the banks in England and Wales may have a policy of withdrawing them whenever they are deposited - in my experience you never get _issued_ a Scottish or Irish note in an English bank (or in an English branch of a Scottish or Irish bank). ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/17 "2002-05-27T11:40:39Z")
**UDS** - Sure, but your point was that I wouldn’t see Scottish fivers in London because they weren’t _legal tender_. Which doesn’t seem to be sound reasoning, especially given that there is no legal tender whatsoever in Scotland ? ---
**Author:** ![kase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a5b964/32.png) [@kase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kase)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/18 "2002-05-27T11:49:31Z")
to answer the op’s question: All the bloody \* coins \* are in my wallet. I could use some notes. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/19 "2002-05-27T11:51:18Z")
Well, the picture of the coin is a stilization, but not too bad one (I had the same problem in finding a large, good actual photograph - the pictures on the [European Central Bank’s page](http://www.ecb.int) aren’T that great. At least you can see the thing about Finland and Sweden. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647/20 "2002-05-27T11:55:02Z")
Yep, doesn’t look too cold in Finland this morning 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-the-foreign-euro-coins/110647.md?page=2)