How to return damaged or old New Zealand banknotes and coins to us and what we pay to replace them.
How to contact a currency officer
Currency Officer
Reserve Bank of New Zealand
2 The Terrace
Wellington 6011
New Zealand
Call: +64 4 472 2029
Email: [email protected]
If you are bringing in old or damaged banknotes and coins to us in person, print and complete one of the following forms, depending on where your bank account is based.
Returning old or damaged New Zealand currency into a NZ bank account (PDF, 2.1 MB)
Returning old or damaged New Zealand currency into an overseas bank account (PDF, 737 KB)
You can either:
Bring the completed form and your old or damaged cash with you to our office in Wellington and staff at our Reception will help you with your claim.
You can send old or damaged banknotes and coins by courier or post to our office in Wellington.
Use of couriers and postal services is at your own risk.
You must pay the total cost of sending the banknotes and coins to us.
You must complete and sign one of the following forms, depending on where your bank account is based.
Returning old or damaged New Zealand currency into a NZ bank account (PDF, 2.1 MB)
Returning old or damaged New Zealand currency into an overseas bank account (PDF, 737 KB)
Series 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of New Zealand $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 banknotes are legal tender, regardless of how old they are and what condition they are in, so long as they are still recognisable as banknotes.
The current 10 cent, 20 cent, 50 cent, $1 and $2 coins are also legal tender.
You can find more information about legal tenders in our Bulletin article Payments and the concept of legal tender.
Payments and the concept of legal tender
Banknotes and coins that are no longer legal tender (with the date withdrawn from circulation) include:
We will always pay face value for currency that has been legally issued for use in New Zealand but has ceased to be legal tender (including pre-decimal currency).
We only issue banknotes and coins to the retail banks. We do not sell new or old banknotes and coins directly to the public.