Guilders worth some €14.6m were handed in to post offices and the Dutch central bank in the last three months of 2006, the finance ministry said yesterday. In total, some 325,000 people brought in coins and notes – 100,000 of whom waited until the last two days of the year.

The ministry had estimated some €500m-worth of guilders was still in circulation before launching its campaign. Coins can no longer be swapped but guilder notes can still be exchanged up to 2032.