Money changer in Bandung

I recently tried to change two US$100 bills into rupiah at the Golden Money Changer in Bandung. However, the teller charged me an additional sum of Rp 14,000.- because the bills were not perfect (one bill had a wrinkle, the other had an ink mark). When I pressed her for a more plausible explanation, I was given an unsatisfactory reply. I kept the bills and will spend them in a different country.

Although this may appear to be common policy in Indonesia, I never heard before that the value of a bill depended on the condition of the paper, unless it is a very old and rare bill with a higher collector value. Even very worn U.S. bills (like many of the rupiah bills used in Indonesia) are accepted in the United States and other countries, like India, Vietnam, and Thailand.

I think that a crisp, new bill would have a greater chance of being counterfeited than one which has passed through many hands.

I would appreciate an explanation of this policy as would many frustrated tourists who have to pay additional fees.

Ron Cohen

Bandung