An interstate tourist has been outraged to discover Australia’s oldest mint has not accepted cash for years, calling the move “crazy”.
Despite manufacturing and selling coins to collectors, the Perth Mint in Western Australia has been cashless since July 2021.
The country’s oldest mint is a popular tourist attraction and draws crowds of coin enthusiasts whenever a collectible denomination is released.
The Perth Mint also has a shop where the public can purchase souvenirs, along with bullion of different metals such as gold.
Adelaide tourist Chris said: Yahoo She was ‘disappointed’ when she went to buy a collectible coin with a friend and was told the Mint does not accept cash.
“The lady looked at me and said, ‘Oh, we don’t take cash,’ and just pointed at the sign on the counter… I thought, ‘This is crazy,'” she said.
‘They have a huge gift shop there and the prices of the gifts vary quite a bit.
“There were other things that were quite expensive, but at least for the cheapest line you’d think they’d accept cash for that… I was amazed.”
The Perth Mint (pictured) is not accepting cash, leaving one tourist “shocked”
A Mint spokesman said the removal of cash was to help stop money laundering and “other financial crimes” (pictured, a file photo of a customer paying with his phone)
Chris revealed that he was unable to use any other form of payment on that particular day.
She had recently been scammed with a fake parking meter and had arrived with cash after having to cancel her credit card.
The Mint, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary, was under the control of the UK government until 1970, when the Western Australian government became its owner.
Although the Mint produced most of Australia’s smaller denomination coins until 1983, it is now the “largest fully integrated and innovative precious metals business in the county”.
A Perth Mint spokesman said going cashless was one way to combat crime.
“The cashless payment policy is part of our systems and processes to combat money laundering and other financial crimes,” he said.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted The Perth Mint for further comment.