Are my banknotes still valid?

An older portrait or a changed design does not always mean a banknote has lost its payment status. Choose the currency, issuer, series and denomination to check a reviewed category and find the issuer’s current guidance.

Start with the currency printed on the note

NOK · Norwegian krone

Current Series VIII and withdrawn Series VII notes in the five listed denominations. Other Norwegian issues remain outside this selection.

This guide covers selected regular banknote categories in seven currencies. A match describes that category’s published status; it does not identify or authenticate your individual note. Unlisted issuers, series and denominations remain unclassified.

Payment status and exchange routes at a glance

EUR · Euro

Eurosystem national central banks

Both euro series remain legal tender. The first series includes a €500 denomination; the Europa series does not.

First series and Europa series regular euro notes only. Former national currencies and other issues are not selected here.

Payment status: The first series and Europa series coexist as legal-tender euro banknotes.
Exchange with the issuer: Euro banknotes retain their value. For exchange arrangements, contact a euro-area national central bank rather than assuming the ECB operates a public exchange counter.
Issue and distribution: The €500 first-series note has not been issued since April 2019, but ending issuance did not remove its legal-tender status.

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Validity sources checked: 2026-10-31

USD · US dollar

Federal Reserve notes · United States

US policy retains the legal-tender status of older Federal Reserve note designs. A redesign alone is not a withdrawal.

Current and older-design Federal Reserve note categories in the listed denominations. Other dollar currencies, private issues, replicas and unlisted note classes are outside the selection.

Payment status: Genuine Federal Reserve notes remain legal tender regardless of design age. The reviewed selection is not an authenticity check.
Exchange with the issuer: A genuine older-design Federal Reserve note does not require exchange solely to adopt the newest design. Ask a financial institution or the issuer about the individual note and any damage.
Issue and distribution: The available official designs vary by denomination. Overseas acceptance policies or offered exchange rates can differ from US legal-tender status.

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Validity sources checked: 2026-10-31

GBP · Pound sterling

Bank of England only

Bank of England polymer notes with Elizabeth II and Charles III coexist. The reviewed paper notes are withdrawn but have a Bank of England exchange route.

Bank of England £5, £10, £20 and £50 categories only. Do not use this result for Scottish, Northern Irish, Channel Islands or other pound issuers.

Payment status: The selected Bank of England polymer categories remain current. Paper £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes listed here are withdrawn from payment use.
Exchange with the issuer: The Bank of England sets no deadline for exchanging its old notes. It can require identification and evidence about the notes; routes and processing conditions differ.
Issue and distribution: A portrait change from Elizabeth II to Charles III does not require replacement of the reviewed polymer notes.

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Validity sources checked: 2026-10-31

CHF · Swiss franc

Swiss National Bank

The ninth series is current. Eighth-series notes were recalled on 30 April 2021, with a separate SNB exchange route.

Ninth- and eighth-series SNB notes in the listed denominations. Sixth-series and other unlisted notes are not classified by this selector.

Payment status: The ninth series remains current. Eighth-series notes no longer have legal-tender status.
Exchange with the issuer: The SNB exchanges eighth-series notes at full nominal value without a time limit. Its cashier’s offices and agencies have procedures; some agencies apply amount limits.
Issue and distribution: Recall changes payment status. It is different from simply replacing a worn note or producing a newer design.

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Validity sources checked: 2026-10-31

PLN · Polish zloty

Narodowy Bank Polski

Modernised security features did not cancel the earlier post-1995 new-zloty designs. A pre-redenomination note is a different issue.

Regular post-redenomination “Rulers of Poland” banknotes. Pre-1995 old-zloty issues and collector banknotes are outside this selection.

Payment status: The reviewed original and modernised new-zloty regular designs remain valid. The original category does not include a PLN 500 note.
Exchange with the issuer: These reviewed designs do not need exchange merely because the security features were modernised. Ask NBP about damaged or otherwise unlisted notes.
Issue and distribution: PLN 500 was introduced later than the original post-redenomination denominations; choose the actual design and denomination.

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Validity sources checked: 2026-10-31

SEK · Swedish krona

Sveriges Riksbank

The selected older portrait notes cannot be used for payments. Their redemption rules include an administration fee and a dated application deadline.

The six current portrait designs and five selected older portraits in the linked guide. Other designs, including commemorative notes, are outside the selector.

Payment status: The current reviewed 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000-krona designs are valid. The selected older portraits are invalid for payments.
Exchange with the issuer: As checked on 31 October 2026, the Riksbank charges SEK 300 per redemption application and must receive the application by 30 June 2027. From 1 July 2027 it will not redeem notes invalid for more than ten years. Approval and documentation conditions apply.
Issue and distribution: A denomination alone is insufficient: old and current portraits can share the same number. Check the official portrait and series.

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Validity sources checked: 2026-10-31

NOK · Norwegian krone

Norges Bank

Current Series VIII notes remain legal tender. Withdrawn Series VII notes have a separate Norges Bank exchange route.

Current Series VIII and withdrawn Series VII notes in the five listed denominations. Other Norwegian issues remain outside this selection.

Payment status: The reviewed current Series VIII denominations remain valid, including NOK 1,000. The listed Series VII portrait notes are withdrawn.
Exchange with the issuer: Norges Bank currently exchanges the listed withdrawn Series VII notes at face value without a time limit. Use its application guidance; cash-counter, account-payment and postal routes have different conditions.
Issue and distribution: On 29 April 2026 Norges Bank stopped new bank orders of the current 1,000-krone note while retaining its legal-tender status.

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Issuer sources

Validity sources checked: 2026-10-31

Practical banknote questions

Are all old banknotes invalid?

No. The decision depends on the issuer and design category. Older euro and Federal Reserve note designs can remain valid, whereas selected withdrawn pound, Swiss franc, Swedish and Norwegian notes have separate exchange procedures. Confirm the exact category instead of relying on the note’s age alone.

Are Queen Elizabeth II pound notes still valid?

The reviewed Bank of England polymer notes featuring Elizabeth II circulate alongside those featuring Charles III. The Bank of England paper categories listed here are withdrawn. Scottish and Northern Irish banknotes have different issuers and are outside this checker’s pound coverage.

Does a note being valid mean a shop must accept it?

Published currency status and acceptance of a particular payment are different questions. Local law, agreed payment terms, the note’s condition and the business’s procedures can matter. This tool reports the reviewed category, not an acceptance promise for an individual transaction.

Can a withdrawn banknote still be exchanged?

Sometimes. The Bank of England and SNB publish routes for their reviewed withdrawn notes. The Riksbank applies a dated deadline and fee; Norges Bank specifies the eligible withdrawn issues and ways to apply. Follow the issuer’s linked instructions and current conditions.

Is the current Norwegian 1,000-krone note invalid because banks stopped ordering it?

No. Norges Bank’s 29 April 2026 announcement retains the current Series VIII 1,000-krone note as legal tender while ending new bank orders. This does not restore the separate withdrawn Series VII note to payment use.

Can this checker tell whether my note is genuine or valuable to a collector?

No. The form does not inspect a note, its security features or its condition. Use the issuer’s official design and security guidance. A published face-value status does not establish authenticity, a collectible price or whether a particular damaged note qualifies for reimbursement.