Cagayan de Oro City (6 January) -- THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently said it has not seen nor received any fake five-piso coin, even as reports coming from Mindanao allege fake P5 coins are being circulated there.

The public is therefore advised to turn over to the BSP or its nearest branch office P5 coins they find to be “doubtful” for validation.

In the meantime, the BSP Cash Department’s Currency Analysis and Redemption Division said a genuine five-piso coin has the following distinct features and characteristic:

• Design: In the obverse side is the profile and name of Emilio Aguinaldo, the words “Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas,” “5-piso,” year mark, ribonette design along the border near the rim, and a small BSP mint mark below the profile of Aguinaldo. Genuine coins may or may not bear a BSP mint mark. At the reverse side is the ribonette near the rim and the BSP logo.
• Shape: round.
• Edge: plain with an elevated border rim.
• Color: plain yellow or golden, has a certain degree of metallic luster evenly distributed throughout the coin metal.
• Relief design: sharper and finely struck or minted.
• A genuine coin gives a typical “clinking” sound of a bell when dropped on solid surface. A fake coin gives a dull sound.