Self-service laundromat marks coins with ‘X’ to stop non-customers from using exchange machine

SINGAPORE: A self-service laundromat marked its coins with an “X” to prevent people from swapping coins using their coin exchange machine. 

A 70-year-old man reported to Shin Min Daily News that he recently visited a self-service laundromat at Whampoa Road to exchange one-dollar coins through their coin exchange machine. However, he was surprised to discover that both sides of the coin had been marked. 

He admitted that he does his laundry three times a week and has been going to laundromats for about two or three years, and that this kind of situation has been ongoing. 

“I’ve tried taking these coins to coffee shops, but they won’t accept them,” the man declared. 

Shared photos from the man show that there were nine marked coins in his hands next to the coin exchange machine. Furthermore, there was a sign that indicated that only laundromat customers could use the machine. 

When reporters contacted the self-service laundromat operator, the management said that they marked some of their coins because many people who do not use the services of the laundromat often come to the coin exchange machine. 

They remarked that even though they posted warnings in the store back then, their coin stocks ran out so quickly.

“We also had to make appointments with the bank to restock, and it cost us $40 for every 1,000 coins we exchanged,” the laundromat management expressed. 

The business owner observed that taxi drivers, nearby vendors, and other members of the public frequently use their machine, so they implemented this temporary exchange measure of marking the coins with an erasable ink pen to avoid further machine misuse. However, the laundromat now emphasises that they have discontinued doing this. 

In Singapore laws, people cannot claim compensation from the Authority for the value of damaged (mutilated) currency. The Authority has complete discretion to decide under what conditions it may refund the value of such damaged currency. Mutilated currency must be surrendered to authorised people for proper handling as well.