Charity takes a punt with ‘treasure hunt’ for old bank notes

A charity has launched a treasure hunt for millions of euro in old money tucked away in sofas, kitchen drawers or under mattresses.

After reading newspaper reports about how an estimated €233m in old punt notes had not been handed back to the Central Bank in return for euros, CoAction West Cork has launched a “treasure hunt” to help find some of the missing money.

Whether it’s in notes or punt coins, CoAction hopes to raise funds for services and supports to people with intellectual disabilities or autism in West Cork.

“We will swap the old money with the Central Bank and we understand they will give us the actual value of each punt we submit in euro,” said CoAction chief Maurice Walsh.

Every year, he said, CoAction had handed up to €1,000 in old money to the Central Bank — this project was simply an expansion of that idea. “We have decided to expand the initiative on the basis that there is a substantial amount of old notes still out there, and it’s only a matter of time before the Central Bank will no longer accept old money.

“We’d hate to see it go to waste especially when we could put it to such good use in CoAction.”

* Anyone who wishes to donate old notes and coins should call CoAction West Cork on 027 50114.