Question from someone completely ignorant ...

"Dick Monahan" asks....

What shall we do?

First of all, try posting this additionally to:

rec.collecting.paper-money (RCP-M). The folks over there do this all day long.
This is a coin group, but many folks collect both, etc..

Then, be expected to provide a list and/or be told to go to the library to
source a couple value guides. Either way, your instincts about the rest of them
having little or believe it or not, "less" value beyond face, is probably not
far from the truth.

Always here for my fellow syngraphist or oenophile.
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Dick Monahan wrote:

I understand the Irish currency, and it's less than a dollar, which leads me
to believe that's what all of it is.

What shall we do?

Start collecting coins? ;-)

If the content of those boxes and bags is mostly used or even worn
circulation coins/bills, then it is quite likely indeed that what you
have there is not worth a lot. If you have the time, get a coin and/or
paper money catalog at a library and look "your" pieces up. Once you
have an idea of what they are worth, you could try and sell them to a
coin dealer (don't expect to get the catalog prices, though) or maybe
through eBay.

In case you have quite a lot of German cash, you could mail it to the
German central bank; after all, while the notes and coins of the 80s and
90s are no longer used here, the pre-euro cash has not actually lost its
value. (Guess that similar redemption options apply to Austria, Finland
and Ireland.) If it's not that much, and/or "common" coins, consider
giving the money to charity. Many airports, for example, have those
boxes where you can drop foreign currency for such purposes ...

Christian