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Crisp USD100 notes

lpgm
Posts: 359 Forumite


Hello. I haven't bought real currency from an exchange for some years, but I need/want to take crisp US$100 notes with me to Argentina. Any suggestions? Do I just place an order online and ask them in advance specifically for crisp notes before I go and pick them up?
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Any particular reason why they have to be "crisp"?0
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Some countries apparently are not keen on used banknotes for exchange to local currency.
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Just give them an iron before you go!2
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DoboChopSueyBar said:Any particular reason why they have to be "crisp"?0
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At the end of August I ordered some US dollars from Sainsbury's to take to Cuba... I specified the denominations I wanted as part of the ordering process, and when I went to collect them I found that they were all crisp and apparently new.
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As part of a previous job I used to have meetings at a Travelex office where they had a vault to store all of their foreign currency, including blocks of millions of US Dollars received direct from the US Treasury, so if that is still the case it's likely that any USD ordered direct from Travelex will be brand new. Other wholesale currency suppliers may have the same arrangements with the US government, and it's quite possible that retail suppliers who get their cash from Travelex will provide new notes.
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Things may have changed since I went to Argentina last November, particularly with the change of government there, but I found Chase, Monzo etc to work well.
I had been expecting to need to get cash, but the cards got the favourable ‘blue’ exchange rate.It might also be worth your while looking at Western Union. I set up an account before I left home and then sent myself some ARS to pick up at one of their many branches when I was there. The rates were good and there was little chance of getting dud notes.
There were umpteen exchange rates when I was there, but they may have reduced since the election. Tourists got an excellent deal.
Sorry that this isn’t actually an answer to your question, but from experience it wasn’t an issue to use plastic there at all.Edit. Official rate is currently showing as GBP 1 = ARS 1,271. Western Union currently showing 1,550. This was known as the Blue (Tourist) rate and it was also the rate we got on our cards. Western Union do charge a fee.1
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