Travel Money Buyback – FAQs

If you've come back from holiday with leftover currency, it can be tricky to know what to do with it. Luckily, lots of travel money providers offer a buyback service on their foreign currency, which lets you convert unspent notes and coins back into UK sterling. Here's our guide to travel money buyback.

Which currencies are buybacks offered on?

Most travel money providers will offer buyback on all foreign currencies exchange services, though some only offer the service on popular currencies like euros and US dollars. It's also worth checking if your travel money provider offers a buyback guarantee as part of the currency exchange service, as some will guarantee to take any extra currency off your hands as part of the service. If you're sure you're going to have currency leftover after your holiday, it's worth paying for this guarantee.

Which providers offer travel money buyback?

You can sell leftover currency at currency exchange stores, travel agencies and at travel money bureaux in high street stores. You can also sell it online to dedicated currency exchange providers like NM Money.

Will my travel money provider buy my leftover currency?

Most travel money providers will buy back any leftover currency but keep your receipt if you think this is likely to happen. Leading providers like M&S Bank won't buy back currency without a receipt so you could lose out if you throw it away, especially if you've already paid a fee for a buyback guarantee.

However, not all travel money providers offer this for all currencies and they also might not offer you the best rate. Unless you've paid money for a buyback guarantee, shop around first to check your travel money provider is offering you the best exchange rate.

How can I get the best rates?

Shopping around is the smartest way to get the best rates, particularly if you're trying to exchange a popular currency like US dollars or euros. You might also get preferential rates on popular currencies by selling back in large amounts, so consider clubbing together with friends and family to maximise the amount of pounds you get back.

Can I sell my currency second hand?

You can sell your currency to friends and family, but it may be an offence to sell it on a second-hand site like eBay. Check the rules for each currency before even thinking about doing this, as it may land you in lots of trouble.