What do you do with your monedas when they get to be montanas? Here are a few ideas:
1. Invest in some bling.
Various websites can help show you how to turn those pesky 100s into cool looking jewelry, like rings, or turn those pesky 1 peso coins into cool earrings. All it takes is a hammer, some drill bits, and lots of patience. If you're stuck with an old 1000 bill, why not laminate it and make a cool-looking bookmark?
2. Make money grow trees.
Ok, not literally, but any copper based coins, when placed into a vase of flowers (along with a sugar cube) help your florals stay fresher for longer.
3. Use them for small purchases.
If you're okay with getting the stink-eye from the metro kiosk attendant, you might want to load a mil onto your BIP card with 10 or 50 peso pieces. I count them out beforehand and put them in a plastic baggy. Make sure to go at a time when you're not in a rush...and neither is anyone else.
Also, corner stores often will take a 1,000 peso bag of 10 peso coins, but make sure you do this very de vez en cuando.
4. Avoid them in the first place.
Some grocery stores ask if you want to donate small bits of change to charities or to bomberos. It's doubtful that these organizations actually receive all the money, but hey, it leaves you with less change kicking around the house, and it makes you feel good, too.
Buying a 790 peso muffin at Castano? Getting some 250 peso coffee from the vending machine at work? BRING YOUR MONEDAS!
5. Act like a kid.
Why not make a wish? Fountains at Plaza de Armas, Plaza Italia, Cerro Santa Lucia and the square near Universidad Catolica make great scenic places to make a wish and hope it comes true.
Feel like a cheap afternoon out AND pleasing your pololo at the same time? Go to the arcade at a movie theater or play some coin slots at the casino.
6. Find collectors.
Like any country, Chile has its share of rare coins. The most prevalent error was in 2008 when the government minted a bunch of 50 peso coins stating that the country's name was "CHIIE," not Chile.
Chilean coins also contain a fair amount of gold - older 100 peso pieces have .5886 ounces. Perhaps lugging a bunch of them home and having them melted down might not be such a bad idea.
7. Exchange them for dolla dolla billz, ya'll!
If you are a cliente of a bank (or have a friend who is) you should separate your coins into denomination (in the case of 100 peso coins, separate the old and new ones) and bring them to the bank. Like the subway station, be aware that you are going to get MAJOR stink eye for doing this, but most banks now have coin counting machines that will separate coins out. The problem here, aside from major stink eye, is that you must deposit the earnings into the cliente's account - so, unfortunately, you won't be able to walk out with cash.
I think the best thing, if you wish to go this route, is to do a two part trip: first, go to the bank without the coins, but tell them that you are going to come in and deposit a large amount of coins into your account. Make sure that branch has a coin counting machine - if they don't, ask which branches do. Then, arrange a good time with the tellers where you can come in and deposit the coins (ask when they are normally slowest). This way, at least you are showing that you're trying to be considerate. I cannot guarantee, however, that they will be equally polite.
Good luck to all you change luggers! I'll let you know how my coin drop goes.
Have any other tips? (Is there a Coinstar in Chile that you know about?) Post them in the comments box!
