Yuck! 94% of Greenbacks Carry Germs, Study Says

By  |  April 20, 2012
 | 

Yes, cash is still popular. And, yes, we still stand by our stance that it’ll be around for a while yet.

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    But that doesn’t mean paper currency is perfect. In fact, over at its Heart of Commerce blog, one member of the MasterCard Worldwide team has taken the liberty of highlighting a few of the dollar’s downsides.

    The most visceral: 94% of bills in circulation are currently playing host to one form of bacteria or another, according to a study published in Southern Medical Journal.

    A lovely infographic captures several other drawbacks to cash:

    In a non-scientific poll hosted at MasterCard’s website, just 18% of respondents said they use cash for the majority of their purchases. How about you — are you still paying with cash?


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