Central Bank exchanges €2.9 million in old punts including €625,000 in coins since 2018

The Central Bank has swapped more than €2.9 million worth of old punts over the last four years including more than €625,000 in coins.

All the largest exchanges last year were worth less than €10,000, according to records with the highest transaction dealing with £7,724, or €9,808 in ‘new money’.

Figures for 2021 show how just over €400,000 – or £317,124 in punts – was exchanged in notes last year, two decades after the euro first came into circulation.

Remarkably, a further €163,000 – or £128,458 in old pound coins and other loose change – were also exchanged by the Central Bank in 2021.