Basically, when we go somewhere new, we look for bank branches or sometimes supermarkets that cater to old people and ask for weird coins. Depending on the bank, tellers sometimes end up carrying these in their drawers for weeks and are happy to unload them. Locally, they know her and sometimes save coins. You develop a sense for banks that are more productive for this -- a more modern bank have staff who don't know what nickels are! :)

Sometimes you get lucky. A few years ago, my wife and my son came back with about $200 of eisenhowers, including a few silver ones. They basically bought $1200 worth of coins for $200! Some kid/grandkid probably turned in grandmas stuff.

East Asian cultures tend to stick to the "red envelope of cash".

I'm curious how much businesses have had inroads into swaying cultures to believe that gifts and gift cards are more desirable than cash. Economists historically have talked about how gifts are frequently inefficient uses of money because there is value loss when it isn't the most desired item at the time.