1971 Coinage Act

[snico]

Was just reading an article in my local paper, where a young woman tried to use a bag of copper coins to pay for her petrol, after her RBS card failed. The garage refused to accept the payment under the 1971 coinage act!

I did not know that it was illegal to pay for something valued at more than 21p in just copper coins and anything over the value of £5 cannot be paid in full using 5p or 10p coins.

You sometimes hear about people having arguments in shops and saying i'll just pay it all in coppers then!......well no they cant!

Learn something new everyday

 

[chapeau]

Well it's not illegal but it's all to do with 'Legal Tender' which is a very misunderstood term, especially in Scotland.

In fact a Scottish fiver is not legal tender anywhere in the UK, including Scotland. But don't tell them that or you will get to see what's under their kilts.

The garage could have taken the coppers but don't have to. The buyer would then have to come up with another form of payment.

 

[snico]

It only becomes legal tender if used in the correct amounts.

Its a strange law, so I want to buy something for 24p I can't use 12 x 2p coins...in the eyes of the Royal Mint unless the seller agrees to it

 

[chapeau]

You can if the shopkeeper will accept them.

It is not illegal to pay for 24p of white mice using 12 x 2p pieces. You can pay for them with your watch if you want, or your shoes, or your solid gold wedding ring. Whatever the shop keeper will accept.

As I said, the concept of Legal Tender is poorly understood.

 

[big-all]

the compromise would have been to hold on to more value than the petrol
then return "goods "when an acceptable form off payment is used

 

[joinerjohn]

When I was self employed, one contractor used to pay us cash (although we did get a wage slip, showing the 20% tax deductions) One week he paid us all in £50 notes. On the Monday morning, one bricky complained about the £50 notes. No one would take them so he had to pay it into his bank on the Saturday morning, then draw cash out of the hole in the wall machine. Following Friday the contractor paid the rest of us in £20 and£10 notes, but paid the bricky with a bag of 50p coins (almost £450's worth) Telling him , if he complained again it would be all in 10p pieces the following week.

 

[kjacko]

When I was self employed, one contractor used to pay us cash (although we did get a wage slip, showing the 20% tax deductions) One week he paid us all in £50 notes. On the Monday morning, one bricky complained about the £50 notes. No one would take them so he had to pay it into his bank on the Saturday morning, then draw cash out of the hole in the wall machine. Following Friday the contractor paid the rest of us in £20 and£10 notes, but paid the bricky with a bag of 50p coins (almost £450's worth) Telling him , if he complained again it would be all in 10p pieces the following week.

Lol, what a miserable old ****.
His valid complaint made it easier for the rest of you. That boss needed a slap.

 

[Tech99]

It all rather strange, all right. On the Scottish bank notes issue, I remember some years ago doing a job for a Scot who was down here for a while and he wanted to pay cash. He had a wallet full of Scottish £20 notes but said something along the lines of "I don't suppose you'll take these, I'll have to go the cash machine," and seemed quite surprised when I told him that the Scottish banknotes would be just fine. I guess he must have been used to having them rejected this side of the border.

Then there was the time the fellow behind the counter in my local post office of the time wouldn't take Jersey pound notes because - wait for it - he said he couldn't find what the exchange rate was!

 

[JohnD]

Jersey is not part of the UK.

 

[Tech99]

Jersey is not part of the UK.

I know it isn't, but the pound is the same.