on 17-09-2013 07:31 AM
A fed-up Adelaide man has attempted to pay a $60 parking fine entirely in 5 cent coins.
The unidentified man used a hidden camera to film as he first visited a bank to withdraw the coins – all 1200 of them – before visiting his local council to pay the fine.
“Can I pay cash?” he asks the worker behind the desk.
When she replied in the affirmative, the dumped hundreds of coins on the desk and pushes them towards her, before asking for a receipt.
After some back and forth, the woman informs the disgruntled ratepayer she can’t possibly process a transaction using that many coins – and the law is on her side.
The Reserve Bank of Australia confirms there are limits to how much one person can pay for with coins.
From the RBA website:
The RBA states "coins are legal tender for payment of amounts which are limited as follows:
"For example, if someone wants to pay a merchant with five cent coins, they can only pay up to $5 worth of five cent coins and any more than that will not be considered legal tender.
The man, however, wasn’t taking no for an answer.
"You're part of a corporation I don't want to deal with," he said as he left the building. "I paid. I'm out. Bye. I gave you the money."
An Adelaide City Council spokesperson today said the man will still need to pay his fine, News Corp Australia reports.
on 17-09-2013 07:35 AM
Legal tender is not really legal tender is it?
One of my children took their bank given money box in to have it credited to their a/c only to be told they wouldn't count it. Not encouraging children to save is it?
5 cents is 5 cents or maybe not.
17-09-2013 07:37 AM - edited 17-09-2013 07:37 AM
Petty behaviour from the guy............... but a ridiculous edict from the RBA.
I hadn't realised 1 and 2c coins are still legal tender................ I have 1000 of them..........
on 17-09-2013 07:38 AM
on 17-09-2013 07:40 AM
@twinkles**stars wrote:Legal tender is not really legal tender is it?
One of my children took their bank given money box in to have it credited to their a/c only to be told they wouldn't count it. Not encouraging children to save is it?
5 cents is 5 cents or maybe not.
Most banks have a counting machine for diy?
on 17-09-2013 07:40 AM
lol yes my 5 cents worth 🙂
Yes an over reaction azure and annoying but surely money is money?
on 17-09-2013 07:41 AM
@azureline** wrote:
@twinkles**stars wrote:Legal tender is not really legal tender is it?
One of my children took their bank given money box in to have it credited to their a/c only to be told they wouldn't count it. Not encouraging children to save is it?
5 cents is 5 cents or maybe not.
Most banks have a counting machine for diy?
Apparently not for money box money, well not at Westpac
on 17-09-2013 07:43 AM
@azureline** wrote:Petty behaviour from the guy............... but a ridiculous edict from the RBA.
I hadn't realised 1 and 2c coins are still legal tender................ I have 1000 of them..........
Keep them, Az. One day you might get a bill for 1 cent, due to some silly accounting person. I had such an account some years ago, and duly paid it. They tried to refuse, until they realised my intent.
on 17-09-2013 07:46 AM
haha, well, I had a bill to pay Sunday for a hire car. The computer kept adding 1c and would not accept that it was paid in cash. Guy wanted me to use the credit card so it could charge the 1c I refused and left him with it!
on 17-09-2013 07:49 AM
The councils reaction will cost them more in the long run than just accepting the mans money.