Damage on the banknote does not mean that the money has been completely lost. There are quite a few ways to fix this. But what if I tore a high-denomination banknote and did not want to take risks by gluing it together? What damages is the bank obligated to accept money for exchange, and which money can immediately be considered fatal?
What to do if I broke a bill: possible options
In some cases, the appearance of damage on the money does not harm their functions. Banknotes with small torn parts or spots are quite suitable for use without additional action by 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 bill of 5,000 rubles. After all, the amount is significant. In fact, there are not so many options here.
The first thing that comes to mind is to glue. When you think what to do if you have torn a bill, you just want to gently glue one half to the other with adhesive tape or transparent paper and try to pay it in some store. But this method is suitable only for trifles, as sellers can take only small money without looking. What if I broke a 5000 bill? To do so in this case is categorically undesirable. Such banknotes are always checked with special care and, most likely, they will not be accepted even in an ordinary store.
The second option is to exchange at the bank. If you come to the department and hand over the damaged money, then the employee of the financial organization is obliged to issue new ones. But, as in any other business, the exchange of banknotes with a broken integrity has its own nuances.
Where can I make a replacement?
On the one hand, the answer to the question of what to do if a banknote is torn is obvious - at the bank. On the other hand, you should change money only in that financial institution that has a license from the Central Bank of the Russian Federation and is registered accordingly. You can visit the branch of Sberbank or any other commercial, all of them will replace without problems, if the condition of the bill is sufficient to determine its authenticity.
In some cases, when in doubt, the bank may begin to verify the authenticity of the money. It is free for the client and lasts no longer than two weeks. After confirming the status of the genuine currency, the bill will be changed.
Exchange cost
Until 2010, the question of what to do with a torn bill also caused concern about exchange fees. Therefore, it was still more profitable to try to buy something in a store for torn money, as this freed a person from problems.
But since 2010, any fee for exchanging damaged banknotes has been canceled and now replacing bad money with solvent has become much easier.
When a bank is required to exchange
One of the most common questions is what to do if you have torn a bill in half. This is the simplest case if a person has both halves preserved. If there are "native" parts and the series and numbers coincide on them, the money will be exchanged for new ones without any questions.
If the money has turned pale or lost (including due to old age or as a result of exposure to detergents), but the banknote number is still being read, it can also be exchanged successfully.
You can replace the bank with the money that was already glued together earlier. But here it is also important that all parts are from the same bill.
Also on the money can be inscriptions or stamps, including those delivered by bank employees. Such currency units can even be used in calculations (with the exception of stamps like “sample” or “test”), but they can also be exchanged if desired.
As you can see, if you set out to solve the problem of what to do with a torn bill of 1,000 or 5,000 rubles, then you can find enough free rules for exchanging old banknotes for new ones.
When replacement is not possible
First of all, if a person has only a small part on his hands. An important rule, which in some cases can nullify all attempts to return your money through a bank.
Also, if the series and the number of the monetary unit are completely damaged, the bank has the right not to change it, because in order to make an exchange, the financial institution must check the bill for authenticity.
If there is a stamp “Sample” or “Test”, money will not be accepted for exchange. However, such funds are not circulated among people, since they remain only inside a banking organization and can only enter the free market as a result of an error.
If the banknote is missing more than a third of its original size. Such a bill is not considered whole and cannot be exchanged.
If an exchange is refused
First of all, the holder of the money must receive a written justification from the bank for the refusal of exchange, which is especially important when a person with a large sum is refused. After that, if the client considers the answer insufficiently substantiated, he can file a complaint with the Central Bank’s main department, which will solve the problem as soon as possible. But, of course, it only makes sense to do this if the banknote actually matches the criteria for exchange.
Of course, you should not come with banknotes over which any additional actions were performed in order to increase their value. In this case, the bank will not only refuse to exchange, but will also consider (and not without reason) the client as a counterfeiter, which will become the basis for holding him liable. And this, probably, few people need.
Foreign currency
All the above rules apply only to the national currency of the Russian Federation. When it comes to the exchange of foreign money, everything is somewhat complicated. Most banks have the right to exchange such money for new ones, but, as a rule, they do it on their own terms: with a commission, through several exchanges, or in some other way. In this case, you really need to visit each specific bank, figuring out the conditions for each individual case.
Most financial institutions use combined rules. They change the bill into rubles, withholding about 5-10% of the commission per 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 banknote to a foreign currency ATM. Such ATMs are present in most large cities and often have less pickiness than employees in branches. The downside of this method is only one: 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 notes. If a coin does not have obvious signs of a fake, and it has retained most of it, then it is quite possible to freely change it in any bank.
However, such operations are rarely performed due to the small face value. In most cases, a person simply throws out the damaged money and forgets about it. And she certainly does not think about what to do, as if she had torn a bill.
Separately, mention should be made of coins that have already been withdrawn from circulation. Like similar bills, they, unfortunately, will no longer be exchanged. As well as the money that is of value to collectors, but as such does not apply to money.
But if a person bought a so-called commemorative coin, then if any 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 marriage found.
How to prevent possible damage to the bill
The main problems with cash paper money are their deterioration over time. It is precisely because of the rubbing in numerous hands that they can break. Therefore, if you receive too old a banknote, it is better to ask to change it to 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 wrinkled and in their pocket in this condition, then creases may form on them, which in the future will cause thinning paper and torn bills.
You should not sharply grab money, even if they are neatly straightened in your wallet. It sounds obvious, but we rarely think about the subsequent need to change money, especially if we are in a hurry.
Check your pockets before washing your clothes. Banknotes are made in such a way as to withstand water with a cleaning agent, but if the money is dilapidated, then they can easily be completely lost. Especially if, due to the load, the bill tears into small pieces.
Finally, you can use electronic payment methods, cards or Pay Pass payment system or similar. Progress is moving around the planet and it is easiest to solve the problem of spoiled money using electronic money, which is simply impossible to damage.