Coin Circulation Beware

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I couldn't think of anything else to call it so I hope what I named this topic is suffice.

 

Long story short, my wife got an upset stomach last night and wanted Sprite.  In the building where we live we have a small laundry room with a Coke machine stationed there.  For $1 you can get a nice, cold, 20 oz drink.  Or at least that's what the machine flashes on the LED display.

 

Every month my wife and I get a roll of quarters from the bank.  These quarters go into a small container when we get home and are used for laundry the entire month.  Last night my wife simply couldn't tolerate her upset tummy and told me to take a few laundry quarters to get her a Sprite.

 

Since the dollar slot has not been working for whatever reason we had to use coins.  The first three quarters went in fine but the last one kept getting rejected into the coin return.  Thinking to myself what could be wrong with this quarter I inspected it.  And this is what I found:

 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:COR%C3%89E_DU_SUD,_100_Won_%C3%A0_l%27effigie_de_l%27Amiral_Yi_Sun-Shin.jpg

 

The coin was not of US currency...it's from South Korea.  It's a 100 Won and its exchange value is only worth 9 cents in US currency.  So...I paid $10 for a roll of quarters where this one Won was found but was shorted 16 cents in reality.  I'm not sure how it got into circulation but it is worth less than the American quarter and dime.  

 

I'm trying to be offensive of other nationalities in any way but I thought I would mention this to make it an awareness should someone here end up with one where the machines keep rejecting it.  So if you get any change from the bank or other retail outlet when paying with cash be sure to check the quarters or you may find that you are being short changed.  I'm not sure how it wound up in circulation but I ended up with a 100 Won coin.

 

For those that have never seen one before this coin is the same size as a quarter with an identical ribbed edge.  It's physical appearance can help it blend in with other coins like it and can go unnoticed if returned change is never inspected.  So watch your change carefully or you may end up with a coin that you can't spend.  Just a heads up...that's all this is.

[RickR]

Hopefully, your wife got her Sprite to help with that upset stomach. 

Although it's not a pleasant surprise, that S. Korean coin would make an interesting souvenir.  Or maybe the bank will take it back if you explain the situation. 

[RickR]

[nosweargamer]

Growing up in Michigan near the Canadian border we constantly had to be on the lookout for Canadian coins. It was not uncommon to get one or two mixed in with your change. At the same time it was not uncommon to pay for stuff with a coin or two mixed in. However quarters we're a bit of a pain as they wouldn't be accepted and most vending machines or arcade games.

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I am not going to part with it but I will take it with me to show my bank so that they are aware. My main concern is the fact its value is less than our quarters and to me the bank needs to know in case they receive more. Still it was a cool find. I use to collect coins with my ex but switched to collecting video games with my current wife.

 

And...yes...we had more quarters so wife got her Sprite.

[Atari 5200 Guy]

Just to be clear...I only created this post on this coin I found in our roll of quarters because it doesn't seem to be accepted by any machine that accepts coins and the fact that it is not worth 25 cents...it's only worth a nickel and four pennies, or 9 cents.  I'm going to be keeping my eye out for more from now on.