OT USA check in foreign denomination

[Micky]

My friend's grandson is graduating highschool this year and I wanted to give him a present. But he has 4 siblings and I won't be here for their graduations.

I also forgot to bring my checkbook for my checking account or my savings account.

when I get home can I mail them a USA check made out in Danish Crowns?

Or does it have to be dollars and the bank where they cash the check will convert it to crowns for them.

Is there a financial advantage to me, either way?

I don't think so, but I think it would look nicer and they would appreciate it if there check mer made out in Crowns.

[Peter]

If you want to cash or deposit a check in a U.S. bank, it must either be in U.S. currency or first converted to U.S. currency. I don't even know if a U.S. Bank's check is negotiable if it is written to be in a foreign currency. Every U.S. Bank or Credit Union's check I've ever seen is pre-printed both with the "$" at the right side of the second line and the word "Dollars" at the right side of the third line. That suggests to me that you cannot write a U.S. checking account check to be payable in a foreign currency.

The fee for currency conversion is often the sum of a flat rate charge plus a certain percentage of the U.S. currency value of the conversion. Therefore, for a small conversion, the fee can come close to equaling or even exceed the U.S. value of the check. As this is a gift, don't imposed the inconvenience and expense of either an invalid check or of currency conversion on the recipient. Find a way of providing your gift check in U.S. dollars. Also, speaking from personal knowledge, don't be tempted to purchase shares of stock on a non-U.S. stock exchange (where they will be registered) as a gift for a U.S. resident. The recipient will have incredible difficulties if they ever want to sell those shares!

[Ed Pawlowski]

In the case of the one right now, go to the ATM and get some crowns. I found the ATM gave me the best exchange rates.

I don't know about checks. At work we do bank transfers and there is a charge for it. You may want to inquire at a bank there for options, perhaps a prepaid Visa card would be better.

[hubops]

If your money resides in an old-fashioned financial institution that still has nice people, behind the counter - ask them. When I transferred some gift-money to my three grown children, I bought "bank drafts" - similar to a certified cheque - my bank even waived the fee - as a goodwill gesture. < $ 7.50 > Mine were not a foreign currency but I suspect that would be possible. John T.

[Micky]

Thank you all for your ideas. They're all good ones.

If I can, I'll let you know what happens.

[Retired]

Most prepaids cannot be used outside the US.

Take a look at this prepaid AAA Visa card.

This one is used by many parents when a child is traveling with a group to a foreign country so they can get cash from a local ATM.

See item 2 re establishing a PIN before sending the card to recipient.

Then mail the card, and email or text the PIN

[Micky]

After two weeks, I found my checkbooks in my suitcase. They are black and th e bottom of the suit case is black, so I can give them checks while I'm here, and I won't run out of money since I brought the checkbook for the brokerage account. I presume I can deposit money to Bank of America even when I'm not in t he US. Not like Paypal where they have you file travel plans and still won't do what you want without calling them on the phone, and who knows if they'll do it then.

[Doug Miller]

Micky wrote in news:dea4dcdt379cuqsei4sk1uc948t5cvpri7 @4ax.com:

Nope. But you can go to the post office, and use dollars to purchase an international postal money order payable in Danish crowns or whatever other foreign currency you choose.

[hubops]

A Post Office money order might be a good idea in the USA .. but might not be the best idea for overseas - link below.

John T.

[Doug Miller]

[e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

postal

Maybe you should back up and read that again; I guess you missed the word "INTERNATIONAL".

[hubops]

.. and then read some more - maybe even click on the links - then send the postal money order to Denmark. :-) ... nice play, Shakespeare. John T.

[Micky]

Well thank you both. There appear to be only 28 countries that have entered into the required treaty, and half of them are islands (Maybe only 27, because I consider Barbuda and Barbados to be the same place. I don't know why they are listed separately.

and Denmark is not one of them.