Old Coins, Banknotes, Foreign Currency Wanted For Kids

New Zealand Lions Clubs have come up with a simple campaign to collect
old coins and banknotes, foreign currency and hoarded loose change for
the benefit of young New Zealanders.

Lions have teamed up with Resene, which is offering its nationwide
chain of Resene ColorShops as collection centres and will help promote
the appeal.

The campaign is called Heads Up for Kids—Give your Old Money New Value.

Queenstown Lion Simon Hayes said the Reserve Bank estimates there’s
more than $80 million of pennies, shillings and pounds, old decimal
coins and banknotes sitting around in drawers or cupboards in
households throughout New Zealand.

New Zealanders also have a tendency to hoard current coins and the
Reserve Bank would like to see an estimated $36 million back in
circulation to avoid incurring unnecessary costs of minting new
additional money, Mr Hayes said.

“In addition there must be tens of millions of dollars in foreign
coins and banknotes that find their way back to New Zealand,” he said
“We want New Zealanders to dig it out to so Lions can give it away to
organisations and charities that support young people.

“The old decimal money that is no longer legal tender, can be redeemed
at the Reserve Bank and when the foreign currency is sorted it the
Lions have identified a buyer who will pay 75 percent of its face
value,” he said.

In New Zealand 11,500 Lions from 400 clubs throughout the country run
programmes for young ambassadors, international youth exchanges,
speechmaker contests and in primary schools they sponsor the
internationally acclaimed Lions Quest programme.

There are 11,642 teachers from 1550 schools who have been through the
Lions Quest training and reaching over 250,000 students.

“Money will go to these programmes and to outdoor education programmes
that Lions already support, such as Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor
Pursuits Centre, Duke of Edinburgh Awards, Spirit of Adventure and
Outward Bound.”

Outdoor education introduces young people to the great New Zealand
outdoors and in many cases offer life changing experiences that will
remain as lifelong influences.

“We want to make a substantial investment in New Zealand’s most
precious asset and provide a springboard for good Kiwi kids to become
amazing New Zealanders of the future,” Mr Hayes said.

ends

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