Transaction processing system and method

A currency conversion transaction method for allowing merchants offering goods or services in a first currency to accept one or more physical currency tokens of a second currency as at least part payment for the goods or services, the method comprising:

• receiving transaction data from a merchant terminal, the transaction data including data identifying at least the second currency and the amount in the second currency of the received physical currency tokens;
• assigning identification data to the received transaction data to identify a currency conversion transaction;
• determining amount data representing an amount in the first currency equivalent to the amount of the received physical currency tokens of the second currency using exchange rate data;
• storing the received transaction data and the amount data as currency conversion transaction data identified by the identification data;
• transmitting the currency conversion transaction data to the merchant terminal;
• and
• causing payment to be made of the amount in the first currency according to the stored currency conversion transaction data to the merchant upon redemption of the physical currency tokens of the second currency received by the merchant.

A currency conversion transaction processing system for allowing merchants offering goods or services in a first currency to accept one or more physical currency tokens of a second currency as at least part payment for the goods or services, the processing system comprising:

• receiving means for receiving transaction data from a merchant terminal, the transaction data including data identifying at least the second currency and the amount in the second currency of the received physical currency tokens;
• assigning means for assigning identification data to the received transaction data to identify a currency conversion transaction;
• determining means for determining amount data representing an amount in the first currency equivalent to the amount of the received physical currency tokens of the second currency using exchange rate data;
• storing means for storing the received transaction data and the amount data as currency conversion transaction data identified by the identification data;
• transmitting means for transmitting the currency conversion transaction data to the merchant terminal;
• and
• payment means for causing payment to be made of the amount in the first currency according to the stored currency conversion transaction data to the merchant upon redemption of the physical currency tokens of the second currency received by the merchant.

A transaction processing terminal for use by a merchant for the processing of transactions for goods or services offered in a first currency when one or more physical currency tokens in a second currency is offered in at least part payment for the offered goods or services, the terminal comprising:

• transmitting means for transmitting transaction data to a currency conversion transaction processor having access to exchange rate data, the transaction data including data identifying at least the second currency and the value of the received tokens;
• receiving means for receiving currency conversion transaction data including data representing an amount in the first currency equivalent to the received physical currency tokens according to the exchange rate data and identification data assigned by the currency conversion transaction processor to identifying the currency conversion transaction;
• and
• output means for outputting the receiving currency conversion transaction data to allow the merchant to complete the transaction' for the goods or services using the received currency conversion transaction data, and to receive payment for the received physical currency tokens corresponding to a currency conversion transaction.

A transaction processing method for the processing by a merchant of transactions for goods or services offered in a first currency, the method comprising:

• receiving one or more physical currency tokens in a second currency in at least part payment for the offered goods or services;
• transmitting transaction data to a currency conversion transaction processor having access to exchange rate data, the transaction data including data identifying at least the second currency and the value of the received tokens;
• receiving currency conversion transaction data including data representing an amount in the first currency equivalent to the received physical currency tokens according to the exchange rate data;
• and
• completing the transaction for the goods or services using the received currency conversion transaction data.

A currency conversion transaction method for allowing merchants offering goods or services in a first currency to accept one or more physical currency tokens of a second currency as at least part payment for the goods or services, the method comprising:

• receiving transaction data from a merchant terminal, the transaction data including data identifying at least the second currency and the amount in the second currency of the received physical currency tokens;
• determining amount data representing an amount in the first currency equivalent to the amount of the received physical currency tokens of the second currency using exchange rate data;
• storing the received transaction data and the amount data as currency conversion transaction data;
• and
• transmitting the currency conversion transaction data to the merchant terminal.