Leftover Currency

What Leftover Currency does

Leftover Currency is a UK-based, privately held company (Leftover Currency Limited) that converts foreign coins, old banknotes, and obsolete or withdrawn currencies into cash (GBP, EUR, or USD) for individual consumers, corporate clients, and UK charities. The service is delivered through a direct-to-consumer online platform paired with a postal mail-in model: customers use an integrated online wallet to add currencies and lock a 14-day exchange rate, then physically post their cash to the company's Datchet processing centre for sorting, authentication, and payout within five working days by bank transfer, PayPal, or cheque. The business is HMRC-registered as a Money Service Business (MLR XQML00000112713) and covers more than 50 currencies across 3,940 individual currency items.

The product surface is narrow by design: a self-serve exchange flow, a PDF postal form alternative, free unsorted-currency processing, a charity donation option that adds 5% on top of the exchange value, order tracking, and a recently introduced Corporate Buyback Service targeting bulk residual cash from business travel and events. Technology is functional rather than differentiated: a web wallet, an exchange-rates database, and a centralised physical processing hub staffed by a team of 10 with claimed combined 50+ years of foreign exchange experience. The company also operates Manor FX, a sister-company brick-and-mortar bureau de change at the same Datchet address, and a central London post-collection point on Regent Street. Distribution relies on organic SEO across thousands of long-tail currency pages, content marketing through an educational blog dating back to 2016, a YouTube channel, and sustained earned media coverage in MoneySavingExpert, Yahoo Finance, The Sun, Mirror, and The Week.

Revenue is generated entirely through the spread between the mid-market exchange rate and Leftover Currency's buy rate, with no fees or commissions charged to customers; coins and obsolete notes carry higher spreads than easily exchangeable currencies. The company is bootstrapped and founder-owned by Mario Van Poppel and Aleksandra Ruchala, with no venture or private equity backing, and has grown largely through two 2014 acquisitions of competitors (Unused Travel Money and International Coin Processors), the 2019 Manor FX launch, and incremental product extensions.

Name

Leftover Currency

Legal name

Leftover Currency Limited

Website

https://leftovercurrency.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Leftover Currency is a UK-based, HMRC-registered online service that converts foreign coins, obsolete banknotes, and leftover travel currency into cash for individual consumers, corporate clients, and charities via a postal mail-in model and centralised Datchet processing hub.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foreign Currency Exchange Services

akta.pro primary industry

Cross-Border Payments & FX (multi-currency wallets, DCC, remittance) (THALAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bank-to-Bank Transfers & Pay-by-Bank (Consumer & Merchant) (FSAMAFAC), International / Multi-Currency Wallets (FSAMAEAL)

Keywords

• Foreign currency exchange
• Bureau de change
• Obsolete banknote redemption
• Foreign coin buyback
• Travel money conversion

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Exchange Rate Spread: Revenue is generated through the spread between the mid-market exchange rate and Leftover Currency's buy exchange rate. This is the same business model used by all bureaux de change. The spread varies by currency type: foreign coins and obsolete notes typically carry a higher spread than easily exchangeable currencies. No fees or commission are charged to customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Leftover Currency exchanges foreign coins, banknotes, and obsolete or discontinued currencies for cash (GBP, EUR, or USD). Customers select currencies, add them to an online wallet or postal exchange form, and mail their currency to the company's Datchet processing centre, receiving payment by bank transfer, PayPal, or cheque within five working days. The service covers more than 50 currencies, including withdrawn denominations such as pre-Euro pesetas, Deutsche Marks, and French francs, that traditional banks and bureaux de change refuse to accept.

Product overview

Leftover Currency operates a single unified online exchange service that allows customers to convert leftover foreign coins, banknotes, and obsolete currencies into cash (GBP, EUR, or USD). The core product consists of an online platform with two submission methods: an Online Wallet (web-based digital tool) and a Postal Exchange Form (PDF). Supporting features include Order Tracking, Unsorted Currency Exchange (free counting service), and a Charity Donation Service (adding 5% extra to donations). The company also offers a Corporate Buyback Service as a separate module for business clients. Physical operations include a sister company Manor FX (bureau de change) and processing centers in Datchet and London. The service covers over 50 currencies including current, obsolete, and withdrawn denominations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Leftover Currency Online Exchange Service Primary online service that enables customers to exchange leftover foreign coins, banknotes, and obsolete or discontinued currencies for cash in GBP, EUR, or USD, with payment by bank transfer, PayPal, or cheque within five working days. The service targets individual consumers, covers more than 50 currencies, and is accessible globally via the company website.
• Corporate Buyback Service Dedicated service for corporate clients and organisations to efficiently exchange bulk leftover foreign banknotes and coins from business travel, international events, or charity collections, with competitive rates, transparent reporting for finance teams, and a digital service guide.
• Charity Donation Service Charity donation programme in which customers can elect to donate the exchange value of their leftover foreign coins and banknotes to a registered partner charity such as Unicef, Prince's Trust, Guide Dogs UK, St John Ambulance, Marie Curie, or RSPB, with the company adding a 5% bonus to the donated amount and providing free sorting and counting.

Quantifiable outcome

• Payment within 5 working days of receiving currencies
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Manor FXcoreOthersSister company and part of the Leftover Currency Group. Manor FX operates a brick-and-mortar bureau de change at the same Datchet address (Unit 1 Portland Business Centre, Manor House Lane, Datchet SL3 9EG). Opened in 2019. Corporate clients can self-deliver currency to the Manor FX bureau de change.
• Hold EverythingminorOthersThird-party company that holds customer post at the Regent Street collection office (207 Regent Street, 3rd floor). The door sign says 'Hold Everything' and the company receives and holds parcels until Leftover Currency collects them.
• International Bank Note Society (IBNS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit educational organisation founded in 1961 to further the study of paper currencies. Leftover Currency is a member, which provides domain credibility and numismatic expertise.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Manor FX: Sister company within the Leftover Currency Group, operating a physical bureau de change at the same Datchet address. Provides in-person currency exchange services, directly overlapping with Leftover Currency's postal/mail-in model.
• Eurochange: UK-based foreign currency exchange bureau with branches across the country. Directly comparable core service of buying and selling physical foreign currency, though focused primarily on notes rather than coins or obsolete currencies.
• No1 Currency: UK currency exchange specialist with high street and travel money focus. Comparable bureau de change model targeting similar consumer and corporate customers, though less differentiated on coins and obsolete currencies.
• ICE - International Currency Exchange: Global foreign exchange services provider serving retail and corporate customers with bureaux de change and online services. Comparable business model focused on physical currency exchange, though typically not specialising in obsolete currencies.

Broad incumbents

• Travelex: Largest UK retail foreign currency exchange provider, operating bureaux de change across airports and high streets. Comparable business model (exchange rate spread on physical currency) but significantly larger scale and broader service offering including prepaid travel cards.
• Post Office Travel Money: UK Post Office's foreign currency exchange service available across thousands of branches. Massive incumbent with broader footprint and brand trust, but only handles current circulating currencies rather than coins or obsolete denominations.
• Sainsbury's Travel Money: Travel money service operated by Sainsbury's Bank, leveraging the supermarket's branch network for currency exchange. Comparable consumer-facing foreign currency exchange but limited to standard circulating notes.

Others

• Wise (formerly TransferWise): Digital-first cross-border payments and multi-currency account provider. Not a direct competitor on physical currency but addresses adjacent customer needs for travel money and currency conversion, applying downward pressure on FX spreads industry-wide.
• Revolut: Digital banking app with multi-currency accounts and competitive FX rates. Reduces consumer reliance on physical currency and traditional bureaux de change, threatening Leftover Currency's long-term addressable market as cash usage declines.

Regional players

• MoneyGram: Global money transfer and FX services provider. Comparable regulatory standing as a Money Service Business with FX expertise, though primarily focused on remittances rather than physical leftover currency exchange.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/leftovercurrency
• Xx.com/LeftovrCurrency
• Facebookfacebook.com/leftovercurrency

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Leftover Currency