To accept or not to accept? This was the dilemma faced by several cashiers in Bukit Timah when a customer attempted to pay with the newly issued $10 c
To accept or not to accept? This was the dilemma faced by several cashiers in Bukit Timah when a customer attempted to pay with the newly issued $10 coin commemorating the 100th birth anniversary of Singapore’s founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew.
Seth Wee, a 35-year-old personal finance content creator known as Sethisfy on TikTok, shared his experience of trying to use the limited-edition coin at various stores, including Starbucks and 7-Eleven, on Sunday (Sept 17). In the video, each cashier appeared uncertain, examining the unusual coin before hesitating to accept it.
At one supermarket, a cashier looked closely at the coin and asked, “What coin is this?” before deciding, “No la, this one cannot.” At 7-Eleven, a staff member examined the coin, remarking, “$10 Singapore [coin] ah?” and then signaled with crossed arms, declining the coin.
Intrigued, the cashiers took turns inspecting the coin, responding with comments like “Oh my god” and “very nice leh.” Ultimately, Wee opted to pay by credit card instead. “It was their first time seeing the coin, so they weren’t very willing to accept it,” he told AsiaOne, adding that he wasn’t expecting the coin to be accepted.
Is It Legal Tender?
Wee’s experience led many netizens to question whether the commemorative coin is actually legal for transactions. He clarified that the coins are indeed legal tender, though retail staff may be unfamiliar with them. According to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the aluminium-bronze coin, featuring a portrait of Lee Kuan Yew on one side and Singapore’s coat of arms on the other, is valid for use in Singapore.
MAS announced that four million of these limited-edition LKY100 coins were minted, and successful applicants can collect theirs from September 4 to December 3. Any uncollected coins will be available to the general public for exchange beginning December 4.
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