Two incidents to make you feel a bit better :
1) Got off the Dolmus by the Azda in Hisaranou two weeks ago - popped into big change shop to change some money - they showed me a CCTV picture of 2 english women who had been in to change travellers cheques - the change shop had accidently given them 500 tl too much - the women hadn't been back and they were desperately trying to find out if they were still in the area to try and get their money back.
2) Had visitors last week and took them to the Tuesday Market - got stopped by quite a persistent man at a bag stall - really full on wanted to show me 20 bags and was quoting stupid prices - then out of nowhere a man in uniform appeared (Zabita I think) - he took the stall holder to one side - had a piece of offical looking paper and brief details of the conversation he'd had with me on the paper - and made him sign it - when I asked what was happening I was told - problem yok but the other bloke on the stall said they had just been fined.
But agree there are too many Yeni coins still in circulation - my friends hadn't realised they were different and ended up with 5tl worth at the end of their stay. They hadn't been to any little shops just to petrol station and kipa and a couple of restaurants in Calis - not sure where they picked them up.