[Clare~Bear]

I've only just been informed (on 'the chase') that 2p coins are only legal tender for amounts up to 20p !!!!!

Sure it's annoying to shop keepers if you pay in lots of small coins but I thought they'd be glad of the change.

Does this include using mixed coins? So if you're buying something for £1.30, can you give 1 £1 coin and 15 2p coins?

What are the maximum amounts for other coins?

Were you surprised by this? Although if something is 22p, I'm sure a shop keeper wouldn't mind you giving them 11 2p coins, they'd probably be glad of the change.

[Fusion]

Just because it's legal to refuse them doesn't mean the vendor will. A few times I've paid for stuff using a money bag with 100 pennies and the shopkeeper had no problem with it (they weighed it). However I'd guess at a football ground a hot dog vendor wouldn't have time to count them without losing money.

[Illusionary]

In terms of what the maximum amounts are, see here from the Royal Mint: http://www.royalmint.com/aboutus/pol...der-guidelines

BANK OF ENGLAND NOTES:
In England and Wales the £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes are legal tender for payment of any amount. However, they are not legal tender in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

COINS:
Coins are legal tender throughout the United Kingdom for the following amount:

• £5 (Crown) - for any amount
• £2 - for any amount
• £1 - for any amount
• 50p - for any amount not exceeding £10
• 25p (Crown) - for any amount not exceeding £10
• 20p - for any amount not exceeding £10
• 10p - for any amount not exceeding £5
• 5p - for any amount not exceeding £5
• 2p - for any amount not exceeding 20p
• 1p - for any amount not exceeding 20p

And yes, as Fusion says, while it's legal to refuse to accept payment for larger amounts than the above, it doesn't mean that people will choose to refuse.

[PJ991]

Legal tender only applies to paying debts.

Buying something in a corner shop doesn't count. The shopkeeper can accept or refuse whatever he/she chooses. They could take shells as payment. So they can refuse your pile of 2p coins, but not on the basis of whether or not it is legal tender, unless you're paying a debt.

[Samz]

As someone who works in a supermarket, trust me, when it's a Saturday lunchtime, I have a queue of impatient customers and you're paying £10.65 or something in all silver... I do not appreciate the change.

I always accept it though, can't imagine turning someone away cos they're paying in change aha.

[MagicNMedicine]

I just eliminate my change on the self checkout machines in supermarkets

[calumsteele1]

(Original post by MagicNMedicine)
I just eliminate my change on the self checkout machines in supermarkets

ah i know what you mean, its great fun dropping half a tonne of shrapnel into those things

[DotComBoom]

I always give my low value coins to my Dad who gives me the equivalent back or I go to Tesco and put all my low value coins in that voucher machine.

[Clare~Bear]

Thanks illusionary, I did try to google it, but couldn't think of the right words to put in . . .

PJ, how come? They didn't mention that on the chase . . .

DotComBoom, I put any 1p or 2p coins in my penny jar for when we play cards.

[xoxAngel_Kxox]

I never realised there was a limit! Although I never use my coins when I'm paying a cashier anyway.. although I have occasionally taken several bags of 1p coins to supermarket self scan checkouts when it's quiet and used them there. Yes it takes a while but it gets rid of them and pays for my shopping, so it's all good.

[Clare~Bear]

I didn't know until I saw it on a quiz show yesterday!

[scribble_girl]

I knew this from a time when a bus driver shouted it at me because I tried to pay a £1.40 bus fare with a pound coin and 20 2ps He didn't even let me on the bus in the end...

[Juno]

(Original post by PJ991)
Legal tender only applies to paying debts.

Buying something in a corner shop doesn't count. The shopkeeper can accept or refuse whatever he/she chooses. They could take shells as payment. So they can refuse your pile of 2p coins, but not on the basis of whether or not it is legal tender, unless you're paying a debt.

Legal tender has no meaning here.

However, if you are planning to do this then it would be better to go at a quieter time, or maybe use a self service machine.

[Clare~Bear]

(Original post by scribble_girl)
I knew this from a time when a bus driver shouted it at me because I tried to pay a £1.40 bus fare with a pound coin and 20 2ps He didn't even let me on the bus in the end...

N'aaww

But thanks for answering one of my questions - does it still apply if you're using mixed coins . . . and it seems it does . . .

[Architecture-er]

Ok, here's a spin on the situation.

Someone said earlier that a shopkeeper can refuse to take money, regardless of what it is. But what happens with people who don't really 'own' their 'shop'?

For example, I once tried to pay a bus fare with a 10 pound note, but the guy refused to take it. I tried to point out to him that he couldn't actually refuse payment, so he got out of his cab and started shouting at me, telling me "I couldn't tell (him) what to do with his bus".
I'm not glossing over anything, he really was that unstable, but was he right? Surely it's the bus company's vehicle, so he is basically a cashier? It's not like a taxi, which is owned by the individual driving it.. right?

[Architecture-er]

(Original post by scribble_girl)
I knew this from a time when a bus driver shouted it at me because I tried to pay a £1.40 bus fare with a pound coin and 20 2ps He didn't even let me on the bus in the end...

Some times bus drivers are ****ers, read my above post

[sammy-lou]

(Original post by Samz)
As someone who works in a supermarket, trust me, when it's a Saturday lunchtime, I have a queue of impatient customers and you're paying £10.65 or something in all silver... I do not appreciate the change.

I always accept it though, can't imagine turning someone away cos they're paying in change aha.

^ This. The little old women are the worst haha. The only time I'm happy to see change is if the amount come to £10.02 or something, and they give £20.02 etc.

[Waterstorm]

(Original post by Architecture-er)
Ok, here's a spin on the situation.

Someone said earlier that a shopkeeper can refuse to take money, regardless of what it is. But what happens with people who don't really 'own' their 'shop'?

For example, I once tried to pay a bus fare with a 10 pound note, but the guy refused to take it. I tried to point out to him that he couldn't actually refuse payment, so he got out of his cab and started shouting at me, telling me "I couldn't tell (him) what to do with his bus".
I'm not glossing over anything, he really was that unstable, but was he right? Surely it's the bus company's vehicle, so he is basically a cashier? It's not like a taxi, which is owned by the individual driving it.. right?

Well he doesn't legally have to accept the £10 and can refuse entry.

[MancStudent098]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_t...United_Kingdom

[Architecture-er]

(Original post by Waterstorm)
Well he doesn't legally have to accept the £10 and can refuse entry.

but why? How does he get the authority to deny the bus company revenue, just because he doesn't want to get rid of some of his change?