Banknotes with torn corners, stamps and inscriptions are often not accepted in stores. The cashiers claim that they are invalid. But it turns out there is a document issued by the Central Bank. It clearly states how long the money remains solvent. Deputy General Director of FINAM JSC Yaroslav Kabakov spoke about this.

We have prepared a cheat sheet, you can look into it in a controversial situation. There are ten signs that allow you to use a worn or damaged banknote.

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No edge. It may be burned or torn off. By the way, even a banknote with all edges damaged is solvent.

Discolored field of the banknote. For example, you accidentally washed money. It is also allowed to use banknotes that have become faded and worn out as a result of prolonged use. The reason for the loss of paint does not matter.

The banknote is sealed with adhesive tape in one or more places.

The banknote is torn at the edges. Several such flaws are acceptable, but the paper should not be divided in half.

Stamps and drawings. Bank employees often put imprints on banknotes. There can be as many of them as you like; the “tattoo” does not affect the value of the money.

Important! Banknotes with stamps or perforations “Sample” or “Test” will not be accepted

Large and small punctures. They do not reduce the value of banknotes.

The bill has no corners. Please note that there is a caveat: 55 percent of the banknote must remain intact. If it is less, money will not be accepted either at the store checkout or at the bank.

Inscriptions. There can be as many of them as you like.

Traces of dirt, paint, grease stains are not an obstacle to the use of money.

The bill is made up of several fragments belonging to one banknote. Important condition: one fragment must be at least 55 percent of the total size of the banknote.

Terms of use

You can safely pay with banknotes with the listed flaws in stores, and if the cashier still refuses to accept the money, you must invite the administrator of the outlet. As a rule, the dispute is resolved in favor of the buyer. True, if the damage is serious enough, for example, almost half of the banknote is torn off, the administrator will not take responsibility and accept the money. After all, it is difficult to determine by eye how many percent of the bill is left.

But, having received a refusal, you should not throw away the disputed money, you need to go to the bank with it. There, the bill will either be immediately exchanged (operators have equipment that allows them to determine the authenticity of banknotes and estimate how many percent have survived), or they will take it for examination to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. You will have to write a statement indicating the number of the banknote that you are submitting for verification. When handing over money, you will need to present your passport. Please note that the examination is carried out free of charge. The verification usually takes about ten days. If it turns out that the banknote is genuine, it will be replaced with an equivalent one. The amount will either be transferred to your account or given out at the cash desk.

Sometimes we are faced with a situation when unpresentable-looking money comes into our hands. Most often these are small denomination banknotes of 10 and 50 rubles, unnoticed among other pieces of change or accidentally washed with clothes.

It's quite easy to get rid of them in small shops or stalls. But what to do if a large bill of 500, 1000 or even 5000 rubles is damaged?

Let's try to figure out how various damages affect the solvency of a banknote and what to do to return damaged money.

If torn

What to do with a torn banknote? If the bill is torn in half, you can use some tricks to extend its solvency for a while. We are talking about gluing together money torn in half.

It is necessary to take into account that the gluing will not last long, especially on old banknotes, and this may be noticed in the store. Then you will have to take it to the bank for exchange.

There are several ways to glue a torn banknote:

• A thin strip of transparent tape. If necessary, tape can be applied on both sides;
• Glue "Moment" or PVA. Both edges of the bill should be spread with a thin layer of glue and try to connect the halves so that the seam becomes as little noticeable as possible. The chance of getting rid of money glued together in this way in a store is higher;
• Instead of tape, use a strip of tracing paper or thin tissue paper and glue.

After gluing and drying, it is necessary to bend the bill so that the seam or strip of tape does not fall on the fold. Since paper money is often wrinkled, you should handle the restored bill more carefully.

How to use damaged money

Damaged banknotes can be used in the same way as regular ones. Such money will not be accepted only if it is damaged too much. Moreover, the signs of solvency of banknotes and coins are strictly designated by the Central Bank of Russia, which in 2006 issued special Instructions.

The following banknotes are accepted for all types of payments:

• Having small holes or punctures, with damaged edges and missing corners, tears;
• On which there are various inscriptions, stamp impressions;
• The appearance of which is spoiled by minor abrasions, dirt, small stains (from paint, oil, etc.);
• Faded (for example, after washing), provided that the image and number remain unchanged and are clearly visible.

The Central Bank divides all banknotes into three degrees of disrepair. Money that has the above characteristics belongs to the 1st degree of disrepair. Payment organizations may not accept 2nd and 3rd degree bills.

Thus, all of the above flaws are not a reason for refusing to pay with a damaged bill in a store or bank.

With ATMs things are worse. They do not accept banknotes with significant tears, even if they have been glued together. However, there is a chance that the ATM will simply accept slightly tattered bills - this depends on the settings of the reader.

It happens that due to some circumstances, money is torn, washed along with clothes, or painted by children. The question arises: will they be accepted in the store and is it possible to exchange money? The site's correspondent found out which damaged banknotes can be used for their intended purpose, and which ones acquire the status of insolvent.

Banknotes that can be used to pay

Bank of Russia bills and coins with minor damage can be used to pay for goods and services in Khabarovsk:

Plus, you can pay with coins that have minor mechanical damage, but have retained their original shape.

All of the above damage is considered minor, these banknotes are valid,” said Dan Zotov, head of the cash circulation department of the Far Eastern State University of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. - If the seller of a product or service refuses to accept such money, it can be exchanged at the bank. And if previously only the Central Bank and Sberbank provided such a service to the population, today any bank working with individuals can accept damaged money from you and issue it intact.

Exchange of damaged money in Khabarovsk

— You will receive banknotes without flaws if you bring banknotes to the bank with obvious signs of a manufacturing defect (upside down number, missing individual image elements). But it is worth remembering that such banknotes are of particular interest to numismatist collectors. This means that banknotes with manufacturing defects can not only be exchanged for ones of equal value, but also make money on it.

As for iron money, coins that are bent, flattened, have holes, melted or have changed color can be exchanged. But if you bring part of a coin to the bank, for example, a “disc in a ring”, or a coin with a completely lost image, they will refuse to exchange you on completely legal grounds.

If you and the bank employees have disagreements regarding the exchange of damaged banknotes, you will need to write a statement requesting an examination at the Bank of Russia. It is completely free for citizens of the Russian Federation and takes from 5 days to 1 month. If banknotes of a foreign country - dollars or euros - are suspected, the examination may take up to six months or more, since the money will be sent to the country of origin.

By the way, usually you don’t even need a passport to exchange damaged banknotes at a bank, but it’s still worth having this document with you just in case. For example, on the basis of Federal Law 115, banks are required to identify the client during exchange and foreign exchange transactions amounting to more than 15 thousand rubles.

Maria Polyakova

Photo source - Central Bank of the Russian Federation

I wonder if you ever found yourself in a situation where they refused to accept a damaged or dilapidated banknote for payment. Personally, I have never been in such a situation before, but today my elderly neighbor asked me to make a few purchases in the store and gave me money, and these bills were worn almost to holes. I don’t even know what to call them correctly, whether they are tattered bills or simply damaged ones. I wondered, until when does money actually remain solvent?

It turns out that there is a whole document issued by the Central Bank that lists all sorts of cases. Now I will try to list these cases very briefly. You are required to accept a banknote if:

• Firstly, the edges are missing (even if all of them are). They can be torn off or burned.
• Secondly, the bill is taped in one or several places at the same time.
• Thirdly, there is even the presence of countless handwritten inscriptions.
• Fourthly, it is made up of several parts of the same bill. There is an important clarification here, which reads as follows: “One of the fragments is at least 55% of its total size.”
• Fifthly, there are traces of paint, any dirt, dried drops of liquids, and greasy stains.
• Sixthly, there are small punctures.

All these factors do not affect the value of money. How to behave and what to do if they still refuse to accept a damaged bill? If they refuse to accept an old or damaged banknote, you need to invite the administrator of the point of sale. Most often, such a dispute is resolved in favor of the client if the banknote is not torn approximately in half or there is no more serious damage.

If the administrator also refuses to pay you, do not rush to throw away your money. Taking your passport as a citizen of the state with you, go to the bank. Here the banknote can be exchanged immediately for a new one of the same denomination, or sent for a free authentication examination to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, which takes no more than 10 days from the date of application. After verification, the banknote will also be replaced with an equivalent one, giving it to the applicant at the cash desk or, upon request, transferring it to the account.

What are old and damaged banknotes?

Now let's talk in more detail about damaged and dilapidated banknotes. First, let's define what old and damaged banknotes are, which of them are payment and which are non-payment.

Each country has its own Central Bank legislation regulating the division of all banknotes into payment and non-payment, as well as old and good. They may have some differences, but the general essence is approximately the same, and the signs of classifying banknotes into one category or another are always generally similar, but may differ in small details. Let's consider the general signs of dividing banknotes into these categories.

Payment notes– these are those banknotes that have not lost their solvency and can be used as a means of payment.

Non-payment bills– these are those banknotes that for some reason have lost their solvency and cannot be used as a means of payment.

In turn, payment bills are divided into old and good.

Valid banknotes- These are banknotes that are in free circulation and can be used repeatedly as a means of payment.

Old banknotes- these are banknotes that can be accepted as a means of payment at their real value, but when they reach the bank they are withdrawn from circulation as unusable and disposed of.

Let's look at the main signs of old money

Contamination of one or both sides of the bill, which leads to a change in color or a decrease in brightness by more than 8-10%;

Tear of the banknote by more than 5-10 mm, including tearing and gluing with glue, or paper, tape;

The presence in the banknote of holes of more than a certain diameter (from 3-4 mm or more);

The absence of one or more corners of more than a certain area on the bill (from 30 sq. mm. or more);

The absence of one or more edges of the bill, leading to a change in its length or width by more than a certain amount (2-3 mm or more);

Extraneous inscriptions and stamps that make it difficult to determine the solvency of a banknote and occupy more than a certain area;

Changes in the surface or protective layers of the banknote due to mechanical stress (burnt, washed, sun-bleached banknotes, etc.);

Excessive wear and tear on a banknote, making it difficult to determine its solvency.

the banknote is filled with coloring substances, but the image is not affected

Thus, all torn bills (but not only them) are classified as old money. The presence of at least one of these signs indicates that the bill is dilapidated and is subject to withdrawal from circulation. However, until the moment of withdrawal it is a full-fledged means of payment!

Retail outlets, banks and any other institutions cannot refuse to accept old, torn banknotes in national currency, except in cases where examination and special equipment are required to determine the authenticity of the banknote. In other words, you do not have the right not to accept a torn, glued or heavily frayed bill. In addition, you have every right to exchange such a bill for a valid one at any bank without additional fees.

Old banknotes that retain 55 percent or more of their area are accepted for exchange. That is, in other words, exactly half of the bill cannot be exchanged for a new one - such a bill is considered non-payment. This is logical, otherwise it would be possible to tear each banknote into 2 parts and exchange it for 2 new banknotes. Percentages, all measurements of the degree of deterioration of banknotes are determined in banks using special equipment.

In addition, it is important to distinguish between old money and deliberately damaged money. The latter are not recognized as a means of payment and cannot be exchanged or accepted as payment.

Damaged money is banknotes that have obvious signs of intentional damage by a person.

For example, if something is added to the banknote, there are obscene inscriptions, part of the bill is sketched with a fountain pen or felt-tip pen, some geometric figure is cut out in the bill, inscriptions and signs are applied to the bill with paint visible in ultraviolet light (for example, the inscription “bribe”, which is set by law enforcement agencies), etc. - all these are signs of deliberate damage by humans. Such bills lose their solvency and may not be accepted as a means of payment or by the bank for exchange.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that the free acceptance of old banknotes as payment or for the exchange of old banknotes is carried out only in relation to the national currency. Worn foreign currency notes (dollars, euros, etc.) cannot be used as a full-fledged banknote, and can be exchanged for good ones only in banks that provide such a service, and with the payment of a commission. This operation is called currency collection (you can read more about it using the link).

Thus, if you come into your hands with old money or torn banknotes in national currency, you should not worry about this: you must accept them without any problems as payment for goods and services, and also exchange them in banks without charging additional fees. But with foreign currency, things are much more complicated, so be careful not to be “slapped” with an old foreign bill.

Old dollars and euros, how to exchange damaged banknotes

Currently, there are fewer and fewer people who would trust their savings to banks. And this is not just a matter of constant revocations of licenses from credit institutions. The love of cash foreign currency among our population is connected, rather, with a general distrust of the national currency. Very often it turned out that all citizens’ ruble savings were rapidly melting away due to devaluation and hyperinflation.

Paper money, of course, is not at all wear-resistant, and over time it may show signs of damage: creases, stains, abrasions, tears, etc. And this is where some problems arise, because banks very often refuse to accept damaged dollars and euros, or want 10-20% of the amount for this operation.

With rubles the situation is completely different. According to the Directive of the Bank of Russia dated December 26, 2006 No. 1778-U “On the signs of solvency and the rules for the exchange of banknotes and coins of the Bank of Russia,” credit institutions are obliged to exchange free of charge damaged banknotes that have retained signs of solvency for new bills.

Moreover, the nature of damage to such banknotes can be very significant and varied; it is enough only for one fragment to retain at least 55% of the original area of ​​the banknote (we have already written about this above).

How is foreign currency exchange regulated?

The acceptance of old or damaged currency by banks is regulated by Bank of Russia Instruction No. 136-I dated September 16, 2010 “On the procedure for carrying out... transactions with cash foreign currency...” and Bank of Russia Instruction No. 2054-U dated August 14, 2008 “On the procedure for conducting cash transactions with cash” foreign currency in authorized banks on the territory of the Russian Federation.”

From these documents it follows that banks themselves have the right to establish rules for accepting damaged banknotes of foreign countries. Despite this, some credit institutions manage to violate these loyal requirements.

If you are refused to accept damaged money from foreign countries, then first of all ask the cashier to show you the internal “Rules for accepting damaged banknotes of foreign countries”, and point out the specific point in these rules, according to which your damaged banknote can be exchanged only with a commission or at all not accepted. And only if such a point is found, then the refusal is legal;

In other words, no objections from the cashier that he “just doesn’t like” this bill will be considered legal. Since the currency exchange procedure is an offer, and, accordingly, this operation must have clear criteria. And it’s unlikely that these rules include the clause that “if the cashier doesn’t like the bill without explaining the reasons, then the old dollars will not be exchanged” :)

In this case, you can safely complain about the bank to the Bank of Russia regarding violation of the law (or simply threaten to do so, sometimes this is enough).

First, ask the bank to give you a written refusal to carry out an exchange transaction. The bank may not immediately give you a written refusal. In this case, make a written claim yourself, which the bank cannot refuse to respond to.

Of course, no one needs extra hassle, but you should know that you have the opportunity to protect your rights, but whether the game is worth the candle is up to you to decide.

According to clause 2.4. In Instruction No. 136-I, the bank cannot set any restrictions on the denomination of banknotes or the year of issue during exchange (if the banknotes are officially in circulation). The bank cannot set different rates for different banknotes. And also, the bank cannot introduce restrictions on the amounts of foreign currency cash accepted and issued (with the exception of coins of foreign countries);

Thus, even if in the “Rules for the exchange of damaged banknotes” you find a clause that the Bank does not accept, for example, one-dollar bills, or the exchange rate for them is less favorable, then such rules are illegal and you can safely complain to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. It is worth noting here that, of course, it is more expensive for the bank to deal with small bills (more costs for storage, transportation, etc.), but these are the difficulties of the credit institution.

Why do banks not like old banknotes and set a commission for exchange?

The answer is obvious: all expenses for operations with old money of foreign countries are borne by the credit institution, and not by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (as is the case with rubles, when the Bank of Russia, at its own expense, exchanges old banknotes for new ones). Our Central Bank does not have the ability to print new dollars, euros or pounds to replace the old ones (although it would be funny :)).

Therefore, our banks can exchange damaged or dilapidated banknotes only in foreign issuing banks (pounds - at the Bank of England, euros - at the ECB, dollars - at the Federal Reserve), for this damaged banknotes must be physically delivered abroad (which, of course, costs money) . Therefore, it is obvious that no bank even wants to get involved with coins of foreign countries.

Obviously, only large credit organizations can afford to carry out such operations and credit currency to their accounts abroad; smaller banks simply behave as intermediaries.

Thus, cash foreign currency is considered by the bank as a commodity, and not as a means of payment. Therefore, banks are interested in its ideal condition, so that they can then freely sell these same dollars, euros, pounds, francs, yen to you, making money on the spread (the difference between the buying and selling rates).

How to exchange old and damaged banknotes

You should not think that if you receive some torn euros or old dollars, then the situation is hopeless. They can be easily exchanged. Everything, of course, depends on the specific case, on the degree of damage to the banknote, but here are some general recommendations:

Try exchanging currency at several banks. All banks are different, and each has its own requirements for banknotes, and we should not exclude a purely subjective factor. Despite clear rules, very often everything depends on the cashier.

The bank will be more loyal to your damaged banknote if you are a client of this same bank and want to replenish your foreign currency deposit with it (there is no point for the bank to go into conflict with an existing client, since attracting new clients is much more expensive than retaining old ones).

Quite often, banks refuse to accept banknotes that have even minor marks or stamps on them. In this case, as well as in the case of small dents, tears, breaks, stains, try depositing your dollars or euros into your account through ATMs with the Cash-in function (i.e. with the function of accepting money).

Take your damaged dollars, euros, etc. take it with you on vacation abroad (or ask friends who are going abroad). Actually, there the currency is in circulation and is considered precisely as a means of payment, and not as a commodity. And you can freely pay with your crumpled, torn, greasy, stained banknotes. Nobody will tell you anything (by analogy with our Russian rubles, the banknotes in circulation are far from ideal). Moreover, it is not at all necessary that your old dollars will be exchanged only in the USA, and euros only in EU countries. In all popular resorts (Turkey, Egypt, Thailand, Vietnam) your freely convertible currency will be readily accepted.

If you still decide to pay a commission to the bank to sell your currency, then at least choose a more advantageous offer. Sberbank will ask you for 10% for the operation, but, for example, Bank of Moscow is only 5%. Rosselkhozbank also offers to exchange damaged banknotes with a 5% commission.

In case of significant damage to banknotes, or if the bank simply does not want to deal with the damaged banknotes itself, the credit institution may offer you to send your currency for collection. Those. Your money will be sent to the issuing state (abroad, of course) to check its solvency and, in case of a positive decision, a refund will be transferred to your account. For example, Sberbank charges 10% for such a service, Bank of Moscow 5%. It is difficult to call a collection operation in the same Sberbank (as, indeed, in any other bank) a profitable deal, because You have no guarantee at all that you will be paid anything.

In any case, it is better to take care of your currency than to waste time selling or exchanging it. Do not forget also that it is not advisable to store all your money in cash. Interest rates in banks on deposits in dollars and euros are, of course, low, but it’s better than nothing. In addition, to buy and sell currency on the exchange, you do not need its cash form at all.