Self-service laundromat marks coins with 'X' to prevent misuse of coin exchange machine
A self-service laundromat has marked its $1 coins with an "X" to prevent misuse of its coin exchange machine, leaving some customers perplexed.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the laundromat is located at Block 74 Whampoa Drive.
Regular customer Zhang Hexing (transliterated), 70, who visited the laundromat to get coins, told Shin Min that he was puzzled to find several $1 coins marked with an "X" on both sides.
"I do laundry three times a week and have been going to this laundromat for about two or three years, and this has been happening for a while," he said.
Photos taken by Mr Zhang nine marked coins and a notice beside the exchange machine stating that it is only for laundromat customers. "I've tried taking these coins to coffee shops, but they wouldn’t accept them."
In response to Shin Min’s queries, the laundromat owner explained that the marks were meant to deter outsiders. This includes preventing taxi drivers, nearby stallholders, and members of the public from "abusing" the machine to get change for their own use.
"Even with warning signs, our coin supply would run out quickly. We have to restock from the bank, which costs us $40 per 1,000 coins," the owner said, adding that they previously used erasable ink to mark the coins.
The laundromat also has 24-hour CCTV surveillance and posters near the machine displaying screengrabs from footage of people misusing it. Other notices urge non-customers to be considerate.
The shop has since said it will stop marking its coins.
Other laundromats facing the same issue
When Shin Min reporters visited the area, they found several laundromats in Toa Payoh with similar signs and CCTV cameras near their coin machines.
Some displayed photos of repeat offenders, while others directed non-customers to exchange their coins elsewhere.
According to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), defacing currency is illegal under the Currency Act.
Damaged or defaced notes and coins, including those burnt, cut, or marked with ink or paint, lose their value and may be refused by other businesses.
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