Legal tender is a medium of payment recognized by a legal system to be valid for meeting a financial obligation. Paper currency and coins are common forms of legal tender in many countries. Legal tender is variously defined in different jurisdictions. Formally, it is anything which when offered in payment extinguishes the debt. Thus, personal cheques, credit cards, debit cards, and similar non-cash methods of payment are not usually legal tender. The law does not relieve the debt obligation until payment is tendered. Coins and banknotes are usually defined as legal tender. Some jurisdictions may forbid or restrict payment made other than by legal tender. For example, such a law might outlaw the use of foreign coins and bank notes or require a license to perform financial transactions in a foreign currency.

In some jurisdictions legal tender can be refused as payment if no debt exists prior to the time of payment (where the obligation to pay may arise at the same time as the offer of payment). For example, vending machines and transport staff do not have to accept the largest denomination of banknote. Shopkeepers may reject large banknotes: this is covered by the legal concept known as invitation to treat. However, restaurants that do not collect payment until after a meal is served must accept any legal tender for the debt incurred in purchasing the meal.

Legal tender is a form of currency

Legal Tender may refer to:

"Legal Tender" is the first single released by The B-52's from their 1983 album Whammy!. The single was their third Billboard Hot 100 chart entry, at #81. The song also peaked at #9 on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart, along with album tracks "Whammy Kiss" and "Song for a Future Generation". The song was also an air-play and club hit in Brazil in 1984, and was performed during the band's set at the 1985 Rock in Rio music festival. When the band toured Brazil in 2009, they didn't include the song in their set, causing fans to chant for the band to play it. Because of the popularity of this song in Brazil, it appeared on the Brazilian version of Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation, where it replaced 52 Girls. This was the only version of this compilation it appeared on, although it was soon included on the Nude On The Moon compilation some years later.

Musically, "Legal Tender" is an upbeat synthesizer-fuelled track with a drum machine and hand-clap rhythm. The lead vocals are shared by Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. The opening track on the band's third record, Whammy!, it was a sign that the band had altered their sound quite significantly for this album. The band's heavy use of synthesizers on these tracks was indicative of a new wave trend at that time with The Human League, Eurythmics, Depeche Mode, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and many others also making use of modern synthesizer machines. "Legal Tender" was performed live in the set of the Whammy! tour, with Keith Strickland on synthesizer and with horn parts added.