Pre-Euro currencies also among donations at Scotland’s busiest terminals
A King Edward VII solid gold sovereign coin and well-preserved French franc notes nearly a century old feature among some £130,000 collected from passengers shedding their last foreign cash at Scotland’s major airports.
The haul gathered at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen airports has also included other pre-Euro currencies such as Irish punts, Lithuanian and Latvian litas and German deutsche marks.
Edinburgh Airport said other recent donations were a “substantial amount” of Azerbaijan manat, along with Chinese renminbi/RMB, Mexican pesos, Kenyan shillings and East Caribbean dollars, which are used in eight states including Grenada and Monserrat.
The airport said the King Edward VII full gold sovereign was worth some £370 because it contained nearly 8g of 22ct gold – almost the purest.
It said: “There were millions made so it was not particularly valuable as a collector’s piece, but the gold value was excellent for our charity partner.”
The coin was part of some £77,000 of currency donated at collection points in both and departures and arrivals areas of Scotland’s busiest airport since 2020.
Most of the currency was in UK pounds, followed by Euros and US dollars, but it also included some “stunning, well- preserved 100 Franc notes from the 1930s”.
An airport spokesperson said: “It’s incredible to know that even passengers’ loose change can make a difference.
“It’s a good reminder that small acts of kindness like these can add up to something with a positive impact.”
The proceeds from Edinburgh’s donations this and next year will go to its official charity, Change Mental Health.
Jonny Cobbold, the charity’s director of development, said: “These donations contribute towards unrestricted income which gives flexibility in being able to fund services and initiatives that offer support when people need it most.
“This could be our Hearing Voices service that supports people experiencing the likes of psychosis and schizophrenia – those who live with voices and sensory disturbances – which can be some of the most stigmatising mental health conditions.
“It can also help expand our Me & Money programme to ensure young people aged 14-18 living with overlapping inequalities across Scotland receive practical advice and learning around their finances.
“The partnership with Edinburgh Airport also provides an opportunity to reach millions of people who travel every year.
“With one in four people being affected by mental health issues, over 4 million of those passengers could be affected.”
AGS Airports, which runs Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports, said more than £30,000 had been raised from its “cash globe” collection points.
Most came in US dollars, followed by Polish zloty, United Arab Emirates dirhams, Czech koruna and Swiss francs.
The spokesperson said: “Across our airports, our collection globes provide a simple but meaningful way for passengers to donate any leftover currency before they travel, helping support a wide range of good causes.
“At Aberdeen International Airport alone, passengers have raised more than £20,000 since 2022 for charities including We Too!, Kayleigh’s Wee Stars and AberNecessities, with funds now being collected for the airports current charity partner SAMH, Scottish Action for Mental Health.
“At Glasgow Airport, the globes contribute to the FlightPath Fund, which supports community groups and projects across the west of Scotland.”