Do you know why we feel a strange smell on our hands when we touch coins? There is a very specific reason, and let’s see it below.
Smell of coins
You’ve probably noticed that when you hold coins in your hand, they give off a strange odor. We know that coins are a mixture of germs, and you should actually wash your hands every time you touch them. They pass from hand to hand, and for this reason, they are not a very hygienic item.
It is always recommended to disinfect your hands and, if possible, wash them with soap and water. However, this way we will get rid of germs. The smell created will also disappear, but be aware that this is not the smell that coins normally give off. In fact, the reason is very different from what you imagine .
Coins
Coins, whether they are 5 cents, 10 or 20 cents, but even 1 or 2 euros, leave a smell that is not their fault. In fact , if you were to handle them with gloves, you will see that your hands will not have this strange smell . But let’s see below the real reason for this smell that makes your hands stink.
What is that strange smell when you touch coins?
As we said, it’s not the coins that stink. However, what makes our hands stink after touching them is a particular chemical reaction. It’s a reaction that occurs between the skin and the metal . Their contact creates that bad odor emanating from the skin.
Metal doesn’t have this smell, but it’s just the chemical reaction that occurs after rubbing. In practice, the metal affects certain moisturizing substances in the skin, and the skin therefore adds electrons to the metal atoms. This is where the strange smell comes from.
The parts
The metal atoms react with the secretions in the skin. The metal thus takes on a negative charge. And the negativity generates a molecule that gives off an unpleasant odor. This is called mushroom aroma (1-octen-3-ol). This is the one that leaves the odor on your hands, not on the coins.
So we have understood that coins do not stink by nature . This is just a consequence and the older the coins are, the stronger this smell is. So it is not as many people think, that is, it is the coins that have this smell that derives from the metallic material.
Bacteria in silver
As we already mentioned at the beginning, in addition to having to wash your hands because of the smell that coins give off, you should always do it after touching money. In general, whether coins or banknotes, they contain a very high number of bacteria and germs . There are various studies on the subject.
Bacteria on money
According to a study by Oxford University, the most contaminated currency in the world is the Danish krone. It contains up to 40,000 bacteria. This is followed by the Swiss franc, which contains 32,000 bacteria. The euro, on the other hand, is almost clean with its 11,000 bacteria . So remember to always wash your hands after handling money.