Two area bank locations are offering more than just dollars at certain teller windows.

Wells Fargo on Atlanta Road and Johns Creek Parkway also have pounds, pesos, euros and Canadian dollars.

According to a news release from Wells Fargo, the Forsyth County sites are among 18 around the metro Atlanta area that have begun offering foreign currency on site to customers and non-customers.

“This is different because patrons can come into the bank and actually leave with the foreign currency they need,” said Wells Fargo spokesman Jay Lawrence. “Previously, banking stores ordered currency for customer delivery.”

Vrinda Pitre, one of the international tellers at the Wells Fargo on Atlanta Road, said they can also assist customers in need of more exotic currency.

“If people need other currencies, we can order those and they’ll be here in a day or two,” Pitre said.

Gayle Troyer was glad she didn’t have to wait to get the foreign currency she needed Tuesday. 

Troyer came into the bank to exchange $500 for euros, the currency used in the European Union.

She was scheduled to leave Wednesday for a two-week trip to Italy, France, Spain, Austria, Germany and Corsica in celebration of her son’s college graduation.

“I’m really glad this was available,” she said, noting that if the service hadn’t been, she likely would have exchanged her American cash in Europe.

Wells Fargo customers can also bring in foreign currency in exchange for American dollars.

“We can deposit that right into their accounts,” said Nancy Cullen, another of the Atlanta Road site’s international tellers.

She said a number of customers in recent weeks have brought in exotic currencies in exchange for U.S. money.

“I’ve seen money from Australia, Thailand, Switzerland and India,” she said.

Lawrence said bank officials looked at a number of factors when deciding at which sites to place the counter exchange service.

“We looked at things like patterns of people ordering foreign currency, what sorts of international businesses were in the area and the number of foreign students at Lanier Technical College,” Lawrence said.

James McCoy, president and chief executive officer of the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, said the service could be beneficial to economic development efforts in Forsyth.

“Every barrier we can take down to doing business internationally makes a big impact on our local economy and being able to bring in foreign investments,” McCoy said.

He also noted that as Forsyth becomes more international, access to foreign currency will become more important.

“We do have a fairly large international community in Forsyth County, that’s certainly reflective in our business community and demographics,” he said. “As we become increasingly globalized, access to different currencies will become more and more important.”