What you can do if you have euro banknotes or coins in poor condition

Sometimes you might end up with a damaged banknote: it might be torn, stained, marked with letters or numbers, discoloured or damaged by moisture, or worn out from use, or even missing a piece. Nobody would accept such a banknote and it would remain unused in your wallet. Coins can be damaged or worn as well and you would have trouble spending them. Don't worry: you can have the damaged banknotes exchanged with good ones by Banca d'Italia for free.

Here's how to exchange damaged euro banknotes

You can request the exchange of worn, damaged or mutilated euro banknotes at any Banca d'Italia's branch by simply presenting your banknotes at the counter. They will be examined and, if they meet the reimbursement criteria, you will receive new banknotes. In case of doubt about their eligibility for reimbursement, the branch will send them to the Banca d'Italia headquarters for further examination. Visit Banca d'Italia's website to find out the addresses and opening hours of the branches.

If you want to exchange a mutilated banknote, don't forget to bring all the pieces you have including the smallest ones. A mutilated banknote can be replaced with a new one if it is more than a half of the original banknote, or if you can prove that the missing part was destroyed accidentally.

If the banknote was damaged or mutilated intentionally, in principle, it is not exchanged with a new one and is withheld without reimbursement. If your good faith is apparent or the damage is minor, such as if they have brief written sentences, numbers or notes on them, the banknote may still be replaced.

If you happen to come into possession of a banknote stained with ink from anti-robbery devices, you must hand it over at a bank or a Banca d'Italia branch and provide information about how you came in its possession. The banknote will then be sent to the competent authority for investigation. If the investigation concludes favourably, only the victim of the crime that caused the damage will be reimbursed. Therefore, never accept a banknote stained with ink from anti-robbery devices.

How to exchange damaged euro coins

Coins can be exchanged when they are not fit for circulation due to defects, wear and tear, or accidental causes of change in their size, shape, weight, colour or edges. They cannot be exchanged if the alteration is intentional or due to processes that are likely to cause those changes (for example, car scrapping or metal recycling).

Just as you can do for banknotes, you can go to a Banca d'Italia branch to have your damaged coins exchanged. Make sure to bring them sealed in a plastic bag. You will immediately receive new coins if the damage is the result of wear and tear.

If there are any doubts about the origin of the damage, the branch will send the coins to the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato - the institution responsible for minting coins - for an assessment of their eligibility for reimbursement.