Exchanging guilder banknotes
You can exchange most guilder notes for euros at De Nederlandsche Bank. Read more about the various options and the conditions that apply.
Overview of exchangeable guilder notes
You can still exchange most guilder banknotes at DNB, but not all of them. For example, You can exchange the 50 guilder note (Sunflower) until 2032 and the 5 guilder note (with the image of Joost van den Vondel) until May 2025. See the overview of exchangeable guilder notes.
Guilder conversion rate
For the exchange of guilders, we use the official conversion rate: €1 = ƒ2.20371. This means one guilder is worth around 45 cents. We do not charge a fee for exchanging guilders.
Guilder banknotes you received after 27 January 2002
The guilder ceased to be legal tender after 27 January 2002. We therefore do not exchange guilder banknotes if you received them after 27 January 2002:
- as payment for professional or business activities
- as payment for goods or services
- upon purchase by you.
Applying for an exchange
To apply for an exchange, we ask you to complete a form, either on paper or online. You can send your money to us by post or make an appointment to visit our exchange counter in Amsterdam. There are different options for different amounts.
Please note:
- If the amount does not exceed €450, then you can send us your money together with the paper application form or contact us to schedule an appointment to hand in your money in person at our office in Amsterdam.
- If the combined amount of your banknotes is more than €2,000, the exchange cannot take place by post. You must submit an application first. We will contact you to schedule an appointment to hand in your money in person at our exchange counter in Amsterdam.
Read more about submitting an online application below. Click here for information on submitting a paper application.
Applying for an exchange online
If you apply online, you will receive our response faster than using a paper form. we will send you our response within four weeks. If we approve your application, we will send you a form by email which contains your details. Print this form and send it, with your money, to us by post. You can also visit our exchange counter in Amsterdam. We will contact you to schedule an appointment.
How we process your application
- We will send you our initial response to your application within six weeks. If we need more information, it may take longer.
- The maximum time limit is eight weeks, but we may extend it once in special situations. We will notify you of when you can expect a decision.
- We will also ask you about the origin of the money, and we will check whether your name appears on any of the international sanctions lists.
If we approve your application
- We will take your application into consideration if it meets all conditions.
- If you have submitted your application first without sending your money, then we will notify you when your application has been approved. You can then send your money by post or make an appointment to visit our exchange counter in Amsterdam.
- If you sent your money and application form together and we approve it, then you will receive compensation. We will not send you a separate notice about this.
- We will check whether the banknotes are genuine and calculate their value.
- We will transfer the compensation amount to your bank account within four weeks of receiving your money.
If we reject your application
- We may decide not to compensate you if you fail to meet any of the conditions.
- If we reject your application, we will inform you of the reason for rejection and how you can object against our decision.
- We may confiscate your banknotes on legal grounds.
- We are required by law to report transactions that may be related to money laundering or terrorist financing to the Dutch Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU-NL).