Transform Japanese Coins With Pocket Change

Above, yen coins I've accumulated over the years. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Gee, I wish that I knew about this before!

I have been to Japan eight times and after each trip, I've brought home lots of Japanese coins. The problem is, the foreign exchange booths don't take coins, so I'm stuck with them. I also forget to bring them along during future trips.

Until now.

Japan Travel has an article on coin machines travelers can use to exchange Japanese coins before leaving Japan.

They wrote:

Many travelers these days opt for digital currencies, credit cards, and virtual payment systems, but in many countries, cash is still king. And that’s still true of Japan, especially in the countryside. But when you go home with a pocket full of foreign coins, it can feel like a waste of money. Why not turn that back into cash you can use? Pocket Change can help you. 

Big things have small beginnings. Particularly in Japan, with coins ranging in value from a US penny to 5 USD. It's those pockets full of coins, slowly accumulating on international trips, that can spell big money. 

Unfortunately, most exchange outlets don't accept coins, so they're essentially worthless or become forgotten trinkets in junk drawers. Research shows the vast majority of people hoard, leave, or even throw away their leftover foreign cash. But, add it all up and it’d equal much more than you'd expect. 

In Japan, there's a saying: "Chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru" (塵も積もれば、山 となる) it means "even specks of dust become mountains." Pocket Change helps you make that mountain a reality. The machine accepts your leftover foreign coins and bills—no matter the value—and converts them to a digital currency you can use back home at a better rate than other currency exchange.

To read more, go here.