How to replace euro banknotes damaged by anti-theft devices?

How to replace euro banknotes damaged by anti-theft devices?

Published: 29/10/2024

When genuine euro banknotes have been damaged by anti-theft devices, the applicant should make a written statement about the cause of damage.

The genuine euro banknotes that have been damaged by anti-theft devices in connection with an attempted or actual robbery, theft, or other criminal activity are replaced only at the request of the owner or otherwise authorised applicant who is the victim of the attempted or actual criminal activity leading to the damage to the banknotes. The applicant should make a written statement specifying the cause of the damage and a security and technical sheet of the ink from the electrochemical security system of the device by which the euro banknote was stained, as well as the data about the person who has presented the damaged euro banknotes and the date on which they were presented.

If genuine euro banknotes have been damaged in bulk due to the activation of anti-theft devices, they must be presented in sets of 100 euro banknotes, provided that the amount of euro banknotes presented is sufficient to form such sets.

If the applicant submits damaged genuine euro banknotes in the value of a minimum of EUR 10,000 and more for replacement, the Croatian National Bank will act in accordance with the Anti-money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act (Official Gazette 108/2017, 39/2019 and 151/2022).

Fees for the replacement of genuine euro banknotes damaged by anti-theft devices

The Croatian National Bank and the central banks of the countries whose currency is the euro charge a fee for the analysis and replacement of euro banknotes damaged by anti-theft devices, as governed by the Decision of the European Central Bank on the denominations, specifications, reproduction, exchange and withdrawal of euro banknotes (recast, ECB/2013/10).

The fee amounts to 10 euro cent per damaged euro banknote. The fee is only charged if at least 100 damaged euro banknotes are replaced. The fee is charged for all replaced euro banknotes.

The Croatian National Bank does not charge the fee if euro banknotes have been damaged in connection with an attempted or actual robbery, theft or other criminal activity.

Fees for the replacement of unfit euro coins

The Croatian National Bank charges a fee for handling unfit euro coins in accordance with Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1210/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning authentication of euro coins and handling of euro coins unfit for circulation by:

  1. withholding a handling fee of 5% of the nominal value of the submitted unfit euro coins from the reimbursement or the replacement of those euro coins;
  2. the fee referred to in item (1) of this paragraph being supplemented by an additional 15% fee of the nominal value of the submitted euro coins in the event that the check of the entire bag or box of submitted unfit euro coins establishes irregularities or deviations from Article 10 of Regulation (EU) No 1210/2010.

By exception from the above, the Croatian National Bank does not charge a fee for analysing euro coins:

  • where less than 1,000 (a thousand) pieces of euro coins are submitted for exchange;
  • to judiciary authorities, the Customs Administration of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Interior;
  • in other cases, when the Croatian National Bank assesses that this is in the public interest.

Where can damaged foreign cash be replaced?

The procedure for the replacement of damaged foreign cash can be initiated at the commercial bank in which you are a client if the bank offers such a service, at banks abroad, at the central bank of the country that has issued the foreign currency or the issuer of the foreign currency coins in the case of damaged coins.