In the operation of amusement facilities, gachapon (capsule toy) shops, and unmanned stores, it is not uncommon to find "game center tokens" or "coins from other countries" mixed in with the daily sales.
However, a growing concern in recent years is the existence of sophisticated medals that closely resemble 100-yen coins in size and weight (especially counterfeit coins inscribed with "Heisei 16").
These foreign objects not only negatively impact store sales and profits, but they also frequently end up in store currency exchange machines, leading to problems where they are dispensed to regular customers. Why is it so difficult to prevent such incidents?
The chain of damage: The risk of the moment when collected coins are turned into "change".
The main reason foreign objects end up in customers' hands is a critical loophole in the "cash circulation process" in the store's back room (the flow from collection from the machine to refilling the change machine) .
In many stores, large quantities of coins collected from gacha machines and vending machines are simply reloaded (recycled) into the change machines and cash registers within the store, either as is or with only a basic visual check.
This shortcut process of "collecting and immediately replenishing" is the biggest reason why counterfeit medals and coins continue to circulate indefinitely within stores and eventually end up in the hands of innocent customers.
Social responsibility and compliance cannot be excused by saying "we didn't notice."
What store operators must strongly recognize here is that mistakenly giving counterfeit coins to customers is not simply a matter of "giving the wrong change."
As clearly stated in the "Warning Regarding Counterfeit Currency" issued by the Ministry of Finance and the National Police Agency , there is an obligation to promptly report any suspicious banknotes or coins to the police. If a store fails to check for counterfeit coins and allows them to circulate in society, the store's management system itself will be severely questioned, and the brand's credibility will be lost.
In other words, preventing foreign object contamination is not only essential for protecting sales, but also for ensuring corporate compliance (adherence to laws and regulations).
The reality of "foreign object detection"—the limitations of the human eye and fingertips.
Many business owners might think, "This could be prevented if staff thoroughly checked the products before replenishing them."
However, in the daily work of processing thousands or tens of thousands of coins, it is not realistic for staff to check each coin individually for slight differences in edge thickness or the presence or absence of serrations on the sides.
In particular, the malicious tokens that have recently appeared on the market are so sophisticated that they can even fool the simple sensors in vending machines. Analog detection methods that rely on human visual inspection and touch make it impossible to completely eliminate oversights due to fatigue or human error. Furthermore, putting excessive pressure on staff can lead to an increase in employee turnover.
Install "physical and magnetic filters" in the back room.
To break this vicious cycle, it is essential to create a system that uses a strict mechanical "filter" before the coins collected as sales revenue are replenished in the change machine.
This is where Moricash's high-speed coin counting and sorting machines (coin sorters) come into play, acting as a strong line of defense.
Our advanced coin handling solutions go beyond simple counting. As coins pass through the machine, they instantly and automatically identify not only their physical characteristics such as diameter and thickness, but also their metal material (magnetic properties).
This allows the machine to accurately reject only "foreign objects" such as game tokens that closely resemble 100-yen coins, deformed coins, and foreign coins, and to secure only genuine coins as stock for the change machine.
Summary: A secure cash flow creates sustainable store operations.
The mixing of game tokens and the circulation of counterfeit coins not only reduces the store's profits but also increases the workload of staff, ultimately leading to compliance and credibility issues for the store.
To ensure the safe circulation of cash within a store, the most effective approach is to move away from manual visual checks and entrust the detection process to reliable technology.
By implementing Moricash's latest cash handling solutions and upgrading your back-office processing system, you can reduce staff workload and continue to provide customers with a secure and reliable shopping environment. If you are experiencing challenges with your daily cash handling operations, please contact us to discuss choosing the right equipment for your needs.
