This question might not go in the "banking" section, so if it's wrong, please move it. Is it possible to get empty paper coin rollers at a bank in Switzerland in order to roll up your coins and turn them in for cash? If it is possible, what is the french word for the paper cylinders?

My husband and I both abhor toting change around in our pockets/purses etc. and we normally just throw it in a jar until the jar gets full. Then, the next time our kids are around, we make them roll the coins up and redeem the coins for cash at the bank, (in exchange for a cut of the profits, of course, because they sure wouldn't do it simply out of the kindness of their mercenary, capitalistic little hearts!)

We thought change was abundant in the US but here it is truly astounding how much change you can accumulate on a daily basis. Plus the money quickly adds up here, thanks to those 1,2 and 5 franc coins. So, what do all of you do with your piles of change?

I find I am always collecting coins to pay for parking

In our area, Kantonal banks have machines where you can change your coins for notes.

We tend not to accumulate so much change as I have become quite disciplined in paying for things with my change and not constantly breaking in to a note (which I used to do in the early days).

Having said that, I am sure a bank would take your change but I would advise going mid morning or mid afternoon if you can, otherwise you will encounter a huge lunchtime or after-work queue and the staff might not be so helpful.

I got the paper thingies from the post office and i take them back to the post office to exchange for notes after i have rolled them up - be warned it's a right fiddle - wish they would use the simple bags like in the UK

Way too much work, there are many banks where you can just throw in all your coins and you get notes in return! Takes but a few seconds for it to count, I found it fascinating how a machine can think so quickly as a kid!

You can get them at a Post Office. Papier pour rouleaux de monnaie.

OK, now I need Sada with her wonderful, native French. What's the word for the little paper "thingies"? I know for a fact that the lady down at the Ouchy post office does not speak English and I don't think my sign language is capable of distinguishing between a paper roller and a pe*is.

We were typing at the same time. Thank you Bloneybear. You've saved me from (yet another) embarrassing situation

Please tell us when you are going to do this so we can come and watch - I have just laughed my head off at the vision in my head...

When my jar is full . . .

i remember the BCV in St Francois had a machine into which you just dumped all your mixed mess of coins, sort them, then gave you a receipt which you cashed in at the counter. don't know it is still there.

In the States some supermarkets have machines that will count coins, but (I believe) they take a percentage off. Do the Swiss banks that have these machines pay the full value of the coins?

I think in some banks you're charged for the coin counting machines.

Make sure you have rolled the right amount of coins before giving them to the post office. A friend of mine was told off because he miscounted. It was amusing.

Has anyone got the German term for the coin rollers? I just counted up my piggy bank and it's a sizeable sum - not 'retire tomorrow' sizeable but too much to leave sitting.

So far, I've put the different size coins in separate bags so it's a bag of .20 coins, one of .10 and so on with the total in full francs on a slip of paper. Is it worth toting them down to the bank like that, do you think? I worry that the rolling in paper would be too challenging for my less-than-dextrous mitts.

At the bigger PostFinance, at least the ones in Basel (Freiestrasse, and Claraplatz), but presumably elsewhere too, they have a self-service machine you can dump the loose coins in to, and it gives you the receipt which you then take to the desk. No need to sort out the coins yourselves. It spits anything it doesn't like (eg Euro coins) back out to you. There wasn't any charge for doing it.

Once you give the counter staff the receipt, they credited my PostFinance account, but I think you also will give you the cash in notes if you ask them.

I do not think there will be a problem at all whit pe**ys or rappen yes pe*is NO .not in switzerland

Rolling coins are done in CH. In Zurich there are only two banks that take your coins (UBS and Credit Suisse - but only the two big banks on Bahnhofstrasse). They charge you for exchanging the coins for notes.

At the post office it is free. You just ask for the paper to wrap your rappen. You can explain to them you would like to change your coins into notes and ask for the papers.

When wrapping, make sure that the coins are placed along the same way as the words [Die Post La Poste La Posta] are written (on the bottom of the paper). Hand them over to the counter and you'll get your notes - free of charge.

I have nearly 500 chf in the form of .05, .10, .20 and .50... Need to clear them up before leaving Switzerland...

Thanks to this thread, will rush to Claraplatz (Basel) post office tomorrow...

By the way, I don't understand the concept of "Paper Rolling" of coins, as I never heard it before.... Would any one take the pain to explain it please?

Here is a video that shows the rolling act!

ZKB in Dietikon has a coin counting machine. They just dump all the coins in, and it adds them all up and gives you a receipt which you redeem at the counter for cash. Be careful, though, after a certain limit, I believe 500 CHF or so, they charge a percentage, and not on the amount over the limit, but the ENTIRE sum. So keep it below the limit.