Polish Zlotys - worth anything?!

[newflyer]

Hi all - it's been a while between posts, so hope everyone is well, and here's a question I'm pretty sure hasn't been asked before...

Does anyone know if it's at all possible to convert Polish "Zlotys" in Australia?!

I've just finished cleaning up my grandma's house, and found a wad (ie, about 20,000s worth!) of notes. When I have a look at the usual FX sites (Oanda, lse.co.uk, et. al.), they all still show Polish "Zlotys" (PLN), with an approx FX rate of 1PLN=0.21EUR.

So, that works out (give or take a few Zlotys!) to just over 4,177 euros! Not bad for an hours' work if they still can be converted!

However, when I look at the local Aussie FX/currency converters, none exchange Zlotys (even tho' they might list them in foregin currencies).

Any advice much appreciated!

Newflyer (and if they are worth something - the drinks are on me fellas!)

 

[Mal]

First off, I'd be checking if they're current notes (ie something like National Bank of Poland - Internet Information Service )

Might make things a little simpler...

Note that the Zloty has depreciated > 40% in a relatively short time, so it's unlikely they'll be easy to offload.

One thing you could try is visiting the Polish Club (if there is one in your city) and seeing if they have any ideas as to where you could cash them. There would be "black market" transfers happening within Australia as well as some places that may accept them at pretty poor rates.

Otherwise, your other options are to put them up on Ebay (people do this type of thing all the time!) in batches of $500ish and see what you'll get from travellers - although you'd want to have a good Ebay feedback rating), or try and find someone who is travelling to Poland in the near future and see if they'll buy them off you at a discount.

At a last resort, I'm relatively sure they could be sold in the UK if you know someone heading over...

 

[newflyer]

Mal - thanks heaps for your quick and thorough reply. Much appreciated.

Having got home and had a chance to do a bit more research, it turns out that Poland experienced massive inflation in the late 80s and in 1995, there was a redominiation of the Zloty at the rate of 10,000 old Zlotys to 1 new Zloty!

Of course, the wad of Zlotys are the *old* ones...

Cheers and thanks again - and I'll still shout you those beers if you can meet me at the QC (make it after 1pm, okay?)!

Newflyer

 

[Evan]

Opps thats no good at all. Rather a shame really

 

[medhead]

You could try those people who collect currency (coins and notes, that sort of thing)

 

[leny]

So you've gone from over AU$8000 to just over 89 cents?

 

[jpk]

So you've gone from over AU$8000 to just over 89 cents?

Finally - an investment that is performing worse than my share portfolio!

 

[Leumas]

I'll be heading to Poland later in the year. Just as well I read the whole thread...

I'll give you AUD$2 for it.

 

[SFSC]

Perhaps you could put it in the UNICEF envelope from the headset pack on your next few flights.

 

[medhead]

As I mentioned try collectors of banknotes.

Banknotes.com - Price List - P - Paper Money Sales - Banknote Sold - Money Shop - Currency Store

I did a very basic google and got this site. Depending on denomination and age you could get upto maybe US$300.

You may even get more then $0.89

 

[JohnK]

You win some, you lose some....

Cheers and thanks again - and I'll still shout you those beers if you can meet me at the QC (make it after 1pm, okay?)!

The bar in the Qantas Lounge opens at 12 noon these days.

 

[newflyer]

Wow, thanks all. Like the saying goes, king for moment, fool for a lifetime. Or something like that.

@medhead - will have a look on the weekend and see what's doing - but these notes are in pretty coughpy condition!

@Leumas - they're yours if I'm unable to get anything else for 'em (which, call me pessimistic, I'm thinking is unlikely). PM me your details.

Have a good weekend everyone!