The BdP has a service which is responsible for valuing degraded notes and coins (for example, in fires, floods, or having been buried). After appreciation, a value is given to holders.

In the 2023 report, the BdP says that last year it valued 28,768 banknotes and returned 1.4 million euros to its presenters. In 2022, the value had been 1.6 million euros.

Any citizen who has destroyed or mutilated banknotes (damaged by humidity, burned, eaten by animals, among other reasons) can send them to Banco de Portugal to be valued. For a euro banknote to be valued, more than 50% of the surface of the note must be reconstructed, so that its authenticity can be guaranteed by the security elements (in the case of escudo banknotes it was 75%).

If it is possible to value the degraded note, it is destroyed and the equivalent amount is given to citizens.

If the notes are unrecognizable, they are considered lost, and destroyed and the owner does not receive any compensation.

All cases of destroyed banknotes arriving at Banco de Portugal for recovery are reported to the Financial Information Unit of the Judiciary Police (PJ) and the Central Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DCIAP), to prevent possible crimes.