A GLEN Waverley pensioner and her daughter were left dumbfounded after being told it was illegal to pay for part of their groceries in coins.

Eighty-two-year-old Maria, who didn’t want her surname published, and her daughter Helen Garvey, of Point Cook, who shopped at Coles at The Glen on Friday, August 25, said they were told by the cashier it was illegal to pay for part of the their groceries in $1 coins.

Ms Garvey, whose post on the Coles Facebook page had received more than 8500 reactions and 5100 comments, said the groceries cost $130 and they presented $100 in notes and $30 in $1 coins to the cashier.

“We were told by the cashier that she would accept our gold coins this time however next time she could only accept $20 in gold coins,” Ms Garvey said.

She said she had no grievances with the cashier but felt there should be more signage in supermarkets indicating the law.

“I definitely think there needs to be more public awareness around this law,” she said.

“My mother and I were quite embarrassed and we felt like we weren’t being treated the same as everyone else.”

Ms Garvey said The Glen was used by a lot of seniors who often paid in coins.

“My mother uses cash and puts her left over coins in a tray. I’m sure there are many children who also pay in coins from their pocket money and I wouldn’t want this to happen to them,” she said.

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According to the Reserve Bank’s website, coins are legal tender for payment of amounts which are limited as follows: Not exceeding $5 if any combination of 5c, 10c, 20c and 50c coins are offered; and not exceeding 10 times the face value of the coin if $1 or $2 coins are offered.

In a response to Ms Garvey on Facebook, Coles said: “We’re disappointed to hear that you had a poor experience at our Glen Waverley store, we adhere to the RBA Legal Tender.”