Tipping in Jamaica - Please Read

[Kuyaba]

Although US dollars are welcome for tips and payment in Jamaica, please be aware that US coins are not. They are useless to Jamaicans. I was just reading another thread about tipping and there was a mention of tipping with dollars and coins. Coins are like giving them nothing. Just thought I'd let you know.

[sherry7]

Just curious, but why aren't US coins spendable? Can't they be converted?

[Kuyaba]

No, I don't think that they are convertible. I don't think that the Jamiacan banks deal with US coins.

[eieio33]

same here in the US.. I work in a bank and we convert foreign $$$ but not coind ...

[Adamyshoe]

Nearly anywhere in the world you go, if coins are worth less than about $1, it just isn't worth a bank's time. Imagine having to sort, wrap and exchange 4 or 5 (more in some cases) denominations for each international currency, especially if you need 10s or 100s of them to come close to a spendable amount of money. The weight alone would be prohibitive for shipping by armored car.

 

One exception I can think of, and I'm sure there are others, is the British 1 pound coin. This is the only coin some banks will exchange (though not all will) because it tends to be worth more than $1.

 

Can't wait til we move to a cashless society and service people around the world can just carry a little wireless card reader in their pockets. Zip your tip!