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A topic so small, yet so frequently talked about – how to exchange coins into banknotes in Düsseldorf. I’ve been meaning to write a blog post on Life in Düsseldorf about this since I discovered that while there are many places that may exchange your coins into banknotes for a fee, the Deutsche Bundesbank actually does it for free. So while figuring out what bank might be the best bank for us foreigners, there will likely come a day when you gather so much loose change that you’ll be looking for an actual branch location for once. 😉

If you’re looking for ways to transfer your money from one international account to another, scroll to the bottom of this post.

Deutsche Bundesbank

The Deutsche Bundesbank will give you the equivalent in banknotes if you go and exchange coins before 12:30 PM. If you happen to make it there after 12:30 PM, they’ll give you a receipt for the money and you can cash it out later or direct deposit it into your bank. Either way, this service is free for all private customers (regardless of what bank you’re with – this is a public service).

Additionally, the Deutsche Bundesbank is where you will also go if you would like to:

Switch DM into Euro (free of charge)
Replace damaged cash (free of charge)
Purchase commemorative Euro coins
Receive information about exchange rates
Receive information about foreign trade and payment reports

You can find more information in English on their website.

Alternative Options for Exchanging Coins into Banknotes

As I mentioned, there are certainly other options to exchange coins, but you’re more often than not, required to pay a fee.

Banks

By law, all banks are required to offer to exchange coins into banknote exchanges for their customers. However, they only have to offer it as a free service if you’re switching less than 50 coins over, otherwise, you’ll likely be charged a fee.

Automatic Counting Machines

If you don’t mind paying a fee (approx. 10%), you can also find automatic machines to exchange coins in some of the Real and Metro supermarket locations around the city too.

Tips for Transferring Money Internationally

While we’re on the topic of money, you may also be interested in your options for international money transfers to/from Germany.

You have tons of different options to choose from, but also many different fees associated with them. There are a few options worth exploring if the bank account you are transferring money from is not in Europe.

Wise – is one of the most well-known online transfer sites with great and honest exchange rates.
CurrencyFair – a newer online transfer site that should always be compared with TransferWise – exchange rates change quickly and CurrencyFair can often be the cheaper option.