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 Replies: 15 / Views: 6,889 |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1985 Posts |
Has anyone else who gets rolls of coins from Westpac's coin exchange machines noticed that the end coins on the rolls have been deliberately scratched by someone. I mainly get my coin from banks that use Armaguard and their rolls are fine. Westpac, however, get their coin from Prosegur and I've noticed that almost all the $1 and 20 cent rolls I get out of their machines have been sabotaged (This has happened at multiple branches in SE Queensland). Perhaps Westpac are trying to make noodlers get their coin from other banks.   |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1364 Posts |
Just checked the last lot of rolls (20c & 50c) that I picked up from a Westpac branch on the Gold Coast and all's good ... but it was a few months back.  |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1039 Posts |
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I mainly get my coin from banks that use Armaguard and their rolls are fine. Westpac, however, get their coin from Prosegur and I've noticed that almost all the $1 and 20 cent rolls I get out of their machines have been sabotaged (This has happened at multiple branches in SE Queensland). Interesting,you would think it was the rolling/sorting machine itself but you never know. Friend runs the local TAB up here on the North Coast and saves Unc/rare Coins for me and he hasn't run into the scratches.He gets Coin from WestPac about once a week. |
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Pillar of the Community
 Australia
1985 Posts |
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you would think it was the rolling/sorting machine itself but you never know Coin machine scratches are circular. As you can see from the pics in the OP these scratches are straight and right through the middle of the coins. Quote:
Just checked the last lot of rolls (20c & 50c) that I picked up from a Westpac branch on the Gold Coast and all's good That would suggest that the rolls arrive from Prosegur in good order and a Westpac employee is responsible (either acting under orders from the manager or going rogue). Some tellers work at more than one branch in the same area. Seems whoever is responsible for filling the coin machine is not happy about having to do it so often. After opening up the packs the coins come in with a stanley knife they have then used the knife on the coin rolls. Strange it's only 20c and $1 rolls. I don't visit Westpac very often so I'm not paranoid enough to think they are just trying to get rid of me. |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
852 Posts |
Wouldn't make sense to just scratch the end coin as the other 95% of coins in the roll are still up for noodling. The only time it might make sense is for rolls of freshly struck coins (especially commemoratives) to make them undesirable for those who sell rolls. I did notice that your 4 rolls were all 2021.
Maybe someone working in their coin handling centre is doing this to make sure that the rolls going out are not collectable except perhaps rolls going to the branch that he uses? That way he can ensure no competition for his own roll selling?
I'll wager that some employees at those centres pay attention when drums of fresh coins come from the mint for them to roll. They would have dibs on any scarce types and on any coins that their machine rejects (error coins).
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1610 Posts |
Thought it might be from a stanley knife from opening a box of rolls but no damage to paper rim. Odd.
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Moderator
 Australia
16806 Posts |
That damage was not caused by machine; the lines are too irregular. These coins have been deliberately damaged.
Deliberately damaging or defacing coins is illegal in Australia. For an individual found guilty, it's a $5000 fine. If it's an official or unofficial company policy, that's a $10,000 fine for the company.
I'd be very surprised if the company does not know this, so I doubt it's deliberate company policy, at either the bank or the armoured car company.
If a bank felt they had a problem with and wanted to discourage coin roll hunters, they'd have plenty of other tools at their disposal that didn't involve physically damaging the currency - like charging fees for coin purchases, requiring a business account for bulk coin withdrawls, and keeping closer watch on who deposits coins and when.
A question that occurs to me: have all the coins in these rolls been so damaged, or only the ones on the ends? It's possible that some deranged anti-monarchist is protesting the establishment by scratching up a bunch of coins and putting them back into circulation. Again, I'd be surprised if this were the case, as it's the banks job to weed out such damaged coins and not reissue them.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1610 Posts |
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It's possible that some deranged anti-monarchist is protesting the establishment by scratching up a bunch of coins and putting them back into circulation.
 I may do just that in the event King Charles makes an appearance on our coinage.... Edited by David Graham
11/22/2021 9:11 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
2180 Posts |
I haven't got any rolls from Westpac too recently (not in the last couple of months) but the last ones I got all looked fine.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
625 Posts |
I have been threatened to be barred from a Westpac employee at a certain branch. He told me it costs them money to get the coins re-rolled from Prosegur.  My first foray into noodling I asked a teller to withdraw $1,000 from my account, she asked how I would like it, in $1 coins I said. She thought I was joking. i was not. She then told me that she would have to ask management. I was then queried why I wanted the coins, I told him I was looking for a mule. He looked at me dumbfounded and went to see his superior. When he returned I was then told I would be barred if I kept doing it. I now only get my fix from the hole in the wall.  |
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Pillar of the Community
4628 Posts |
Banks have got greedier and less friendly over time. Here they are open selected hours only and have used Covid as an excuse. They charge fees for everything.
It is obvious that they and society are turning us away from "metal" money.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
2180 Posts |
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I now only get my fix from the hole in the wall. Good choice - it asks no questions (and only sometimes jams). |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1985 Posts |
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New Member
Australia
15 Posts |
From the RAM website... Quote:
Defacing, destroying or altering Australian currency coins
It is a criminal offence under the Crimes (Currency) Act 1981 (Cth) to deface or destroy current Australian currency coins. It is also an offence to sell or possess current coins that have been defaced. Defacing a coin includes coating the surface of the money with any sort of material. The penalty for defacing coins, or selling or possessing money that has been defaced, is $5,000 or imprisonment for two years for an individual (or both), and $10,000 for a body corporate. You may also be guilty of the offence of making counterfeit money if you alter a genuine coin. https://www.ramint.gov.au/using-coin-designs |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1985 Posts |
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The penalty for defacing coins, or selling or possessing money that has been defaced, is $5,000 or imprisonment for two years for an individual (or both) The bank defaces them and passes them on to customers. Soon the jails will be full of noodlers.  |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1985 Posts |
Found these rolls of shiny donation dollars for sale on ebay from a seller in Brisbane. Notice the typical Westpac/Prosegur scratches. Proof this happens to other people besides me. (I was starting to get a persecution complex)  |
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Replies: 15 / Views: 6,889 |
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Posted 11/20/2021 6:21 pm
