Three 20 cent coins, similar but totally different.

I work at a Kiosk at the local Railway Station, selling Newspapers and drinks etc. As such, I handle a lot of coins. Not all are Legal Australian Tender however. These days many people travel overseas and bring back coins from other countries and either deliberately or accidentally these or some at least, end up in circulation. Some of the more obvious ones are easily detected and taken out but not all are so easily detected.

One day I picked out a couple of “strange“ 20 cent coins. But only because I saw their reverse side, which is so obviously different to the Australian coin, as to be noticeable to most people.

However when turned over with the “head" side turned up, it is not so noticeable on either coin without close inspection.

So If I was to put a Fijian, a New Zealand and an Australian 20 cent coin heads up on a table, I suspect very few Aussies would be able to pick the Aussie coin without inspecting them all closely.

This reminds me of many things in life. They are not the real thing but are often taken for and even used as the real thing. But they do not stand up to closer inspection and in the end are not “legal tender”.

What about you? Are you the real deal? Or are you just a facsimile of the real thing? Perhaps like the Fijian and Kiwi coins, you are the real thing in your own place but are currently in the wrong place? You may be getting away with it now but you will be found out in the end. Best to correct the situation now and if you are of the wrong currency, it is best to voluntarily remove yourself from circulation before someone else does it to you.

Because in the end, some one will notice and then it will be too late! Way too late. Over to you: Walter