35-year-old personal finance content creator Seth Wee, known as Sethisfy, took to TikTok on a sunny Sunday morning, September 17, to share his intriguing experience of attempting to spend the new commemorative $10 coin marking the 100th birth anniversary of Singapore’s founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew.
He documented his attempts at trying to use the new coin at various stores, including popular chains like Starbucks and 7-Eleven.
Confusion at the Checkout Counter
As Seth Wee tried to pay with the coin at the counter, the cashiers in the video looked thoroughly perplexed and hesitated over accepting the unfamiliar currency.
A cashier at a supermarket appeared confused when she saw the coin and asked him what coin it was, before ultimately telling him “no lah, this one cannot”.
Wee then tried again at a 7-Eleven outlet and the staff was similarly confused, scrutinising the coin and asking him if it was a $10 Singapore coin before rejecting it.
A Closer Look at the Enigmatic Coin
Seth Wee, sensing the bewilderment of the cashiers, decided to offer them a closer look at the coin. Their responses were nothing short of amusing, as they exclaimed how nice the coin looked.
In the end, the man decided to pay for his purchases with his trusty credit card instead, as the novelty of the coin seemed too much for the cashiers to handle.
@sethisfy 7-11 guy so cute made exaggerated gestures so we can get more views 🥲
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Legal Tender
The Verdict of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)
According to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), these unique coins are indeed legal tender and can be used to make payment for services and goods.
The aluminium bronze-made $10 coin boasts a portrait of Lee Kuan Yew on one side and Singapore’s iconic coat of arms on the other.
About 4 million of the coins were made and are available for collection from 4 September to 3 December, for the successful applicants.
Source: @sethisfy on TikTok