Does anyone know where I...
 

Does anyone know where I can get foreign coinage in a major US city (Kansas City)?

Specifically coinage (as opposed to bills) or do you just mean currency in general? American Express offices exchange foreign currency but I don' think they deal with change anymore.

Specifically coins. Olivia's Girl Scout troop is presenting Australia for Thinking Day (a special get together) and I thought it would be cool (and cheap) to give out Australian pennies.

Sorry, there are none - we phased out 1c & 2c coins a long time ago. Australian coins are: 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1 & $2

When is thinking day? - Do I have time to send you a roll of 5c pieces?



[... Yes, it looks strange to me too as this is the first time I've written it down. We say "Do you have a 5 cent piece" interchangeably with "Do you have a 5 cent coin"... funny, that.]

It's in a week and a half. I thought about asking you but I need 250-300 of them and I'm thinking the weight would be prohibitively expensive to ship. How many coins do they have in a roll?

More than the face value of the coins, I would assume.

Also, would it be legal to send that many coins to another country?

Look in the yellow pages for a coin collecting store and call them. That may be the kind of thing they sell in bulk for new collectors (kind of like bags of canceled common stamps). But even if not (and it doesn't sound likely to me) they'll likely know if/how you could do it.

I think they're more concerned with the total face value than the number of coins.

Thanks Alex, I'll try calling someone.

JW, I would assume it's like bringing money into the country on your person...you only have to declare if it's over a certain amount (I believe it's currently $10,000.00). I certainly wouldn't think $15 worth of coins would matter.

Remember that Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere. That means that 300 Australian five cent coins is worth approximately $23,429.19 US.

More importantly, shipping that many coins across the equator would risk upsetting the rotation of the earth.

Excellent point GD!

Well crap, I don't want my toilet to flush the wrong way.

More importantly, do you have the Vegemite lined up? The only time I've had Vegemite was at a Thinking Day.

What were they thinking?

Having had Vegimite, I'm not willing to force it on anyone. We are having tim tams and some cherryish flavored candy (can't think of the name). Since our school's fall festival theme was Australia (that's where our new headmaster is from) we do have lots of fun Aussie nick nacks.

I just checked, and 300 5c pieces weighs 18.7 lbs :eek:

Airmail for this (to get it there in time) would be $AU152.80 or US$135.63
even Seamail (taking 6-10 weeks) would still be $AU90.80 or US$80.60

Sorry :(

PS: More info on the 5c coin here.

You should be damnit

Awww, look what a cuddly bear you are! I figured it would be ridiculously expensive but I can't tell you how much I appreciate you checking. :)

Oh hush. ;)

What about if the LashPair just sends over a Kangaroo instead?

With the coins in the pouch? That's a great idea!

I don't know...I'd need a taller fence.

This kind of pouch?

You Tea-bagger... :p