Where Can I Change "old Series" Us Dollar

[hotelier]

Hi, not sure if this is the right place to ask but here goes. I wanted to change a 100 US dollar bill but the bank refused to change because they said it's the "old series". This is ridiculous as eventhough they don't produce the 1990 series anymore, does not mean my 100USD becomes a piece of useless paper.

Is there some other place I can change this? any particular bank that does not care about old or new series?

Thanks

*reason for edit: accidentally submitted before finish

Edited May 12, 2007 by hotelier

[Travel2003]

Hi, not sure if this is the right place to ask but here goes. I wanted to change a 100 US dollar bill but the bank refused to change because they said it's the "old series". This is ridiculous as eventhough they don't produce the 1990 series anymore, does not mean my 100USD becomes a piece of useless paper.

Is there some other place I can change this? any particular bank that does not care about old or new series?

Thanks

*reason for edit: accidentally submitted before finish

I had the same problem a few months ago.

Was supposed to put them into my Thai bank account, but could not.

They said they had received instructions to refuse these bills.

My wife just changed them somewhere else for me.

She went to another bank.

It was Siam Commercial bank in Central Plaza Latphrao.

rgds

Sailor

[Naam]

Hi, not sure if this is the right place to ask but here goes. I wanted to change a 100 US dollar bill but the bank refused to change because they said it's the "old series". This is ridiculous as eventhough they don't produce the 1990 series anymore, does not mean my 100USD becomes a piece of useless paper.

Is there some other place I can change this? any particular bank that does not care about old or new series?

Thanks

*reason for edit: accidentally submitted before finish

I had the same problem a few months ago.

Was supposed to put them into my Thai bank account, but could not.

They said they had received instructions to refuse these bills.

My wife just changed them somewhere else for me.

She went to another bank.

It was Siam Commercial bank in Central Plaza Latphrao.

rgds

Sailor

the reason why the notes are normally not changed on the spot is that there are millions of excellently forged 50 and 100 dollar bills circulating. depositing in your bank account is a solution.

[hotelier]

thanks Travel2003, will check out the siam commercial bank in my area.

Any reason why they rejected the "old series"? wouldn't that kinda violate rights/laws whatsoever since the bill states "this note is legal tender for all debts, public and private"? what if a tourist traveled to Thailand with only cash in old series? guess he would be screwed heh

[hotelier]

Hi, not sure if this is the right place to ask but here goes. I wanted to change a 100 US dollar bill but the bank refused to change because they said it's the "old series". This is ridiculous as eventhough they don't produce the 1990 series anymore, does not mean my 100USD becomes a piece of useless paper.

Is there some other place I can change this? any particular bank that does not care about old or new series?

Thanks

*reason for edit: accidentally submitted before finish

I had the same problem a few months ago.

Was supposed to put them into my Thai bank account, but could not.

They said they had received instructions to refuse these bills.

My wife just changed them somewhere else for me.

She went to another bank.

It was Siam Commercial bank in Central Plaza Latphrao.

rgds

Sailor

the reason why the notes are normally not changed on the spot is that there are millions of excellently forged 50 and 100 dollar bills circulating. depositing in your bank account is a solution.

Dr. Naam, didn't see your post when I was posting mine. But that reason is ridiculous! forged USD is everywhere but Thailand is the only place i experienced this

[backflip]

"wouldn't that kinda violate rights/laws whatsoever since the bill states "this note is legal tender for all debts, public and private"? "

If the note was rejected in the US, yes.

[ballbreaker]

Hi, not sure if this is the right place to ask but here goes. I wanted to change a 100 US dollar bill but the bank refused to change because they said it's the "old series". This is ridiculous as eventhough they don't produce the 1990 series anymore, does not mean my 100USD becomes a piece of useless paper.

Is there some other place I can change this? any particular bank that does not care about old or new series?

Thanks

*reason for edit: accidentally submitted before finish

You can try changing at VASU Currency Exchange located at corner of Sukhumvit and Soi 7/1. There are also a number of other currency exchange shops located on Sukhumvit Soi 3/1. The shops are located on Soi 3/1 end of a small alley/drive that connects to Soi 5, coming out in front of Gullivers. These latter ones may not look like currency exchange shops but they are. Rates are usually 10-20 stang better than bank which is not a big deal unless your changing big bucks. They are many other such places around the city if you know where to look.

Another option might be to call the U.S. Embassy and see if cashier will swap newer bills for your older ones.

This problem is not just isolated to Thailand. On trip to Indonesia, about a year ago, I had the same problem with older bills. Never could find a bank that would take them but I had the ATM to fall back on. Thats why I now travel with U.S. dollars, Euro's and my good old ATM card. If memory serves me correct I unloaded the old bills at the above mentioned shops.

[Travel2003]

thanks Travel2003, will check out the siam commercial bank in my area.

Any reason why they rejected the "old series"? wouldn't that kinda violate rights/laws whatsoever since the bill states "this note is legal tender for all debts, public and private"? what if a tourist traveled to Thailand with only cash in old series? guess he would be screwed heh

Really no idea why.

I was veeeeery surprised, and a bit annoyed.

Then I put up a smile and said, if you think I have no good money, I think you should call the police to arrest me.

A very confused face looked at me, obviously not knowing how to respond, so I dropped it.

Of course, it was probably a memo sent to all the bank employees, so no need to get too nasty with him.

But his confused face I never forget.

sailor

[Naam]

Dr. Naam, didn't see your post when I was posting mine. But that reason is ridiculous! forged USD is everywhere but Thailand is the only place i experienced this

as an old Asia hand who used to spend his holidays in Thailand for more than a quarter century i recall especially the 1990s when every moneychanger displayed a sign on which the years of the series were mentioned which were not accepted. of course there are forged dollars all over the world but what we are talking about are exceptionally good fakes (rumour has it from Iran and/or North Korea) which duped even experienced bank cashiers.

quote:

Government agents first discovered Supernotes in 1990. A very experienced overseas cash handler identified one as a forgery by the feel of the paper, even thought it was printed on an intaglio press. The fake was as good as any the Secret Service had ever seen—it even contained the right proportion of embedded red and blue fibers that the Treasury Department uses as a security feature. The first Supernote became known as Parent Note (PN) 14342. The term "Supernote"—also occasionally seen as "Superdollar" or "Superbill"—originated outside of the Secret Service. It refers to all high-quality counterfeits that can be linked back to PN-14342 with forensic evidence. (The Secret Service won't reveal how they link modern-day counterfeits to PN-14342.)

Supernote production requires uncommon equipment and skilled engineers. At first, investigators thought they originated in Lebanon. Another theory from the 1990s held that Iran produced them on equipment purchased by the Shah two decades earlier and then shipped the bills to Lebanon via Syria. The real source of the bills has not been found, but a member of the Congressional Research Service reported that the government of North Korea produces millions of dollars a year with intaglio presses. In the meantime, the government ordered an extensive redesign of U.S. currency in 1996. (Supernote versions of the new $100 bills have been discovered.)

[Mid]

Cambodia , anything you can do , we can do better ....................................

the Doc's telling you a true story .

[hotelier]

thanks for the responses guys. Seems like I got to change this note in another country as I'm pretty sure they didn't care about series in Vietnam. Or maybe keeping it as a Thai souvenir.

on the side note, I noticed if I change from baht to USD they would never check the baht but they would take all the time to check the USD for forgery. Maybe there's no forged Baht? or not good enough

[Naam]

thanks for the responses guys. Seems like I got to change this note in another country as I'm pretty sure they didn't care about series in Vietnam. Or maybe keeping it as a Thai souvenir.

you don't have to go to another country to change if you have a local bank account. thai banks will accept (at least they used to) the notes "subject to verification" which might take a few weeks.