[Tagging] Feature Proposal - Voting - Payment denominations

[stevea]

Such "rules" would be somewhere in the realm of the "policy" of the merchant (or perhaps government agency).  I recall a guy in Los Angeles rather famously paying for a very overdue parking ticket of $180 with 18,000 pennies.  They tried to refuse him, they tried to close the "counter" where you do this, they tried to lock the building where his last option was to "go inside" to pay, and in the end, he simply "dumped" all the pennies onto the counter, making a perfectly crazy mess (which he videoed and published on YouTube, is where I think I saw this years ago) and he walked away.  He later found that the ticket was dismissed as "paid in full."

Some places DO either try to or actually do say "can't pay with coins here" or "a maximum amount accepted in coins is (some dollar amount)."  I've never seen these actually be strictly enforced, either by the merchant or something stronger, like the police, as "money is money" and while massive coins are certainly inconvenient, they are "money."

Just a few days ago, I was at my business bank (which provides all sorts of services to merchants and business owners, like both accepting rolls of coins for deposit, and providing rolls of coins) and there was a sign up saying "We may have to limit coins."  When I asked, I was told there is a (minor) coin shortage, at least at this bank branch.  Am I going to "call the police" on the bank because we have a dispute about coins (whether too few or too many)?  Hardly.

While I don't mean to be rude to those I might do it to, I'd likely laugh in the face of somebody who told me they are not taking my coins in acceptance of a payment due.  And in the case of "refusing a 500€ bill / invoice with a 500€ note," well, that is so laughable I actually would walk out, invite them to call the police, and then laugh at them again when the police told them (maybe bullied them?!) into accepting the currency.  Sure, a merchant can "ask," but we have laws.  Maybe Oz does, too.  The link you provided DOES specify some limits, which we don't seem to have in the USA.

And BTW (though, I'm not an attorney), the way "the law" works here is:

• "the US Constitution" (#1),
• "law" (as in statutory law, including federal, state, county ordinance, city codes) as #2 and
• "policy" (a very, VERY weak #3).

For "policy," it really can only apply to the employees of those who "decree" it as "policy," not the general public (if you really push it, and this might mean taking it to court).

So, the next time somebody tells you "it's our policy," you can say "well, that doesn't trump the law" (and you might be able to add something like "nor my rights, as our constitution enumerates some of them").


> On Oct 9, 2022, at 5:25 PM, Graeme Fitzpatrick <graemefitz1 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Mon, 10 Oct 2022 at 10:12, stevea <steveaOSM at softworkers.com> wrote:
> Yes, I'm glad to hear this:  somebody refusing a 500€ bill / invoice with a 500€ note would simply make me leave the note on the table (counter, hand of the proprietor, if s/he let me...) and walk away, my obligation to remunerate fully and legally completed.
> 
> The history of "money" is fascinating.  And it continues to unfold with crypto, totally electronic payments, this seeming desire to eliminate cash (by merchants and governments who don't seem to like the anonymity it can provide...) and more.
> 
> > I heard it was forbidden in this case not to accept the 500 bill as it is legal tender 
> 
> Does anybody else have rules on the maximum amount that can be paid in coins?
> 
> https://banknotes.rba.gov.au/legal/legal-tender/
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Graeme