Hi all, I'll be heading to Costa Rica in 2 weeks. I've read and have been told that all notes issued are still valid. So, I am wondering:
- down to what face value is it worth spending the notes (100C? 500?)
- are there any denominations/years worth saving?
- are 10 & 20 colones coins from the 1980s still valid, despite their low value?
- do casas de cambio/exchange stores accept notes/coins from neighboring countries (lempiras, cordobas, quetzales)?
I'm also curious about the collector market in Costa Rica. How popular are older national coins, and do they have any value beyond face, such as base metal coins before the 50s?
Lastly, if anyone is currently living in any part of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, or Panama, and would like to say hello, send me a PM :)
If anyone has any non coin advice, such as non-touristy historical or natural places to see, I'd love to read your tips. I'll be driving around the country, and to Nicaragua and Panama in a rental for 7 days, so there are no limits.
Thank you all :)
Kenny
- Verifying your Asian and British-territorial coins everyday with the best quality photos and the best information.
Cita: "KennyG"Hi all, I'll be heading to Costa Rica in 2 weeks. I've read and have been told that all notes issued are still valid. So, I am wondering:
- down to what face value is it worth spending the notes (100C? 500?)
- are there any denominations/years worth saving?
- are 10 & 20 colones coins from the 1980s still valid, despite their low value?
- do casas de cambio/exchange stores accept notes/coins from neighboring countries (lempiras, cordobas, quetzales)?
I'm also curious about the collector market in Costa Rica. How popular are older national coins, and do they have any value beyond face, such as base metal coins before the 50s?
Lastly, if anyone is currently living in any part of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, or Panama, and would like to say hello, send me a PM :)
If anyone has any non coin advice, such as non-touristy historical or natural places to see, I'd love to read your tips. I'll be driving around the country, and to Nicaragua and Panama in a rental for 7 days, so there are no limits.
Thank you all :)
If you have any banknotes left over let me know. Have a nice trip.
Cita: "blue-m"I know a guy in Thailand who would take your Costa Rican notes in exchange. Hahaha!
If I'm not mistaken US Dollars are accepted pretty widely there also.
NICE! Good to see you're still active :)
I'll probably spend all notes 500 and up so I'd give you the low denoms... if I were still in TH. Next time I'll bring you some more of the old Thai notes, they're still common here.
Yes dollars are accepted but like here in Mexico they have their own exchange rate, something like a 5-15% cut for them. So yes they take dollars but I'll be paying everything with colones or card.
Kenny
- Verifying your Asian and British-territorial coins everyday with the best quality photos and the best information.
In case anyone's curious:
- All current notes are worth spending, and often in poor shape. Low denom. notes, especially 500 and lower are worth sometimes 10x face regardless of condition, based on sold eBay listings
- All 1970s and sometimes late 90s notes are worth keeping, since some denoms were introduced these years. I traded in all 2000s notes, including the old paper designs
- ALL coins are exchangeable, even centimos! I found that only the steel coins from the 80s are worth exchanging, at the "banco negro" in San Jose
- Banks do not accept any currency. I still have my lempiras and quetzales
- Coin shops are near non-existent in the country
Other fun facts:
- despite being a "developing" LatAm country CR is ridiculously expensive for nearly all products, with some few exceptions like beer, chips, and energy drinks. The essentials. If you ever travel there, as a budget traveler/visitor from a developed country, be prepared with the cost regardless of what you buy (ex. 20L bottles, which cost ~MX$60 here and US$1.25 in the US, cost about US$13 in CR, over 4 times the cost)
- the cheapest "super" to buy groceries is MaxiPali, Costa Rica's version of Walmart you cannot cross either border with your rental
- outside San Jose, drivers are uncomfortably slow and I found myself passing everyone. All national routes are paved; the national highways, however...
- all tourist places are near extortion, and far more than other developing countries I've been. Parking is hawked by opportunists looking to make quick money, and will charge sometimes 4000 cls. just to park
- national parks cost $12-16 per person, pero si vale la pena for their unique experiences (Volcan Poas, Manuel Antonio, Rincon de la Vieja just to name a few)
- gasoline is 609 cls./L nationwide, regardless of the company
- most popular/best coffee is 1820 (from Nicaragua), and Dota (from CR)
- compared to us Mexicanos, Costa Ricans are much less talkative, which is a negative if you're an extrovert; positive if an introvert. Also at times strong Caribeño accent where they speak quickly and string words together
- you will NOT get robbed in CR as they like to gossip about online, but be smart as you would anywhere else
- regueton 24/7, which I'm a fan of :)
If anyone wants low denom. CR notes for cheap or swap for FV notes, please let me know :)
Kenny
- Verifying your Asian and British-territorial coins everyday with the best quality photos and the best information.
