What to do if you break a bill: exchange rules

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The appearance of damage on a banknote does not mean that the money is completely lost. There are quite a few ways to fix the situation. But what if you tore a high-denomination bill and don't want to risk gluing it together? With what damages is the bank obliged to accept money for exchange, and which can immediately be considered fatal?

What to do if you broke a bill: possible options

In some cases, the appearance of damage on money does not harm their functions. Banknotes with small torn parts or stains are quite usable without additional actions on the part of the holder. But if the paper is completely torn, some measures still have to be taken. In particular, a person will be concerned about the question of what to do with a torn banknote of 5000 rubles. After all, the amount is significant. There really aren't that many options here.

The first thing that comes to mind is glue. When you think what to do if you tore a bill, you just want to carefully stick onehalf to the other with tape or transparent paper and try to pay it off in some store. But this method is only suitable for small change, since only small money sellers can take without looking. What if I tore a 5000 bill? Doing so in this case is absolutely undesirable. Such banknotes are always checked with special care and, most likely, they will not be accepted even in a regular store.

The second option is to exchange at the bank. If you come to the branch and hand over the damaged money, then the employee of the financial institution is obliged to issue new ones. But, as in any other business, there are some nuances in the exchange of banknotes with broken integrity.

Where can I make a replacement

On the one hand, the answer to the question of what to do if you break a banknote is obvious - in a bank. On the other hand, you should change money only in a financial institution that has a license from the Central Bank of the Russian Federation and is registered accordingly. You can visit a branch of Sberbank or any other commercial one, they will all replace it without any problems if the condition of the bill is sufficient to determine its authenticity.

In some cases, when in doubt, the bank may start checking the authenticity of the money. It is free for the client and lasts no longer than two weeks. After confirming the status of a genuine currency, the bill will be changed.

Exchange value

Until 2010, the question of what to do with a torn bill also raised concerns about exchange fees. Therefore, it was more profitable to still try to buy for torn moneyanything in the store, as it freed the person from problems.

But since 2010, any fee for the exchange of damaged banknotes has been abolished and now it has become much easier to replace bad money with solvent money.

When the bank is obliged to exchange

One of the most common questions is what to do if a bill is torn in half. This is the simplest case if a person has both halves. In the presence of "native" parts and the coincidence of the series and numbers on them, the money will be exchanged for new ones without any questions.

If the money is pale or worn out (including from old age or as a result of exposure to detergents), but the banknote number is still readable, it can also be successfully exchanged.

You can also replace the money in the bank that has already been glued together earlier. But here it is also important that all parts are from the same bill.

Also, there may be inscriptions or stamps on the money, including those set by bank employees. Such monetary units can even be used in calculations (with the exception of stamps like "sample" or "test"), but if desired, they can also be exchanged.

As you can see, if you set out to decide what to do with a torn banknote of 1000 or 5000 rubles, you can find fairly loose rules for exchanging old banknotes for new ones.

When substitution is not possible

First of all, if a person has only a small part in his hands. An important rule, which in some cases can nullify all attempts to return your money through the bank.

Also, if the series and the number of the monetary unit are completely damaged, the bank has the right not to change it, since in order to make an exchange, a financial institution must check the bill for authenticity.

If there is a "Sample" or "Test" stamp, money will not be accepted for exchange. However, such funds do not circulate among people, as they remain only within the banking organization and can enter the free market only as a result of a mistake.

If a banknote is missing more than a third of its original size. Such a bill is not considered intact and cannot be exchanged.

If an exchange is refused

First of all, the money holder must receive from the bank a written justification for the refusal to exchange, which is especially important when refusing a person with a large amount. After that, if the client considers the answer to be insufficiently substantiated, he can file a complaint with the main department of the Central Bank, which will resolve the issue as soon as possible. But, of course, it only makes sense to do this if the banknote actually meets the exchange criteria.

Of course, you should not come with banknotes that have been subjected to any additional actions in order to increase their value. In this case, the bank will not only refuse to exchange, but also consider (and not unreasonably) the client to be a counterfeiter, which will become the basis for bringing him to justice. And this, probably, few people need.

Foreign currency

All the above rulesare valid only for the national currency of the Russian Federation. When it comes to the exchange of foreign money, things get a little more complicated. Most banks have the right to change such money for new ones, but, as a rule, they do this on their own terms: with a commission, through several exchanges, or otherwise. In this case, you really need to visit each specific bank, finding out the conditions for each individual case.

Most financial institutions use combined rules. They exchange banknotes for rubles, withholding about 5-10% commission from a person, which is quite a lot, especially for people with large sums.

Some institutions may even refuse to exchange damaged foreign currency. If this happened, or if the commission for such an exchange does not suit you, you should try to give the bill to a currency ATM. Such ATMs are present in most major cities and are often less picky than employees in branches. There is only one disadvantage of this method: you need to have a foreign currency account.

Damaged coins

With the exchange of coins of the national currency, everything is exactly the same as with the exchange of banknotes. If the coin has no obvious signs of a fake, and it has retained its most part, then it can be freely exchanged at any bank.

However, such operations are rarely performed due to the small denomination. In most cases, a person simply throws away the damaged money and forgets about it. And certainly notthinks about what to do, as if he broke a bill.

Special mention should be made of coins that have already been withdrawn from circulation. Like similar banknotes, unfortunately, it will no longer be possible to exchange them. As well as the money that has value for collectors, but as such is no longer considered money.

But if a person bought a so-called commemorative coin, then if damage is found on it, he has the right to come to the bank where he made the purchase and find out all the questions about the discovered marriage.

How to prevent possible banknote damage

The main problems of cash paper money is their deterioration over time. It is because of the wear in numerous hands that they can be torn. Therefore, if you receive a banknote that is too old, it is better to ask to change it for a new one. This will prevent possible problems with visits to the bank and exchange.

Also try not to keep money just in your pockets. If they are creased and kept in a pocket in this condition, then creases may form on them, which in the future will cause thinning paper and torn bills.

Don't grab money abruptly, even if it's neatly spread out in your wallet. It sounds obvious, but we rarely think about the need to change money later, especially if we are in a hurry.

Check pockets before putting clothes in the wash. Banknotes are made in such a way that they can withstand water with a cleaning agent, but if the money is dilapidated, then they can easily be lost altogether. Especially ifdue to the load, the bill will tear into small pieces.

Finally, you can use electronic means of payment, cards or Pay Pass payment system or similar. Progress is sweeping the planet and the easiest way to solve the problem of corrupted money is by using electronic money, which is simply impossible to damage.