Germs on currency? Dirty money is a myth

You can say what you like about Aussies but a transtasman study of money has shown their notes and coins at least are cleaner than ours.

Researchers found both countries' money was not nearly as dirty or germ-ridden as people thought.

They found low levels of common bacteria on the currency traded through food outlets in Australia and New Zealand, the Age newspaper reported.

The study showed Australian currency was marginally cleaner than the cash on this side of the Tasman.

But the presence of the bacteria was so insignificant it would be impossible to cause diarrhoea, vomiting or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

Lead investigator Frank Vriesekoop, from Ballarat University, said the one-year study showed that fears about currency hygiene were unwarranted.

"This shows once and for all that our money isn't riddled with pathogens like so many people believe," Dr Vriesekoop said.

"There's been so much hype but in fact the chances of you picking something up from your cash are virtually nonexistent."

Coins were far less dirty than notes and plastic credit cards had the same levels of bacteria as hard currency.

- NZPA