As of: February 26, 2024, 1:04 p.m
By: Juliane Reyle
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Chemical reactions at your fingertips?
For some people, coins can pose a danger.
It's not just allergy sufferers who need to be careful.
Coins are not only rare, valuable or a means of payment.
The coins can even pose a real danger.
Not only collectors or coin lovers are affected.
Metal allergy sufferers in particular should protect themselves.
Because anyone who holds the euro for too long must face consequences.
Dermatologist Frank Nestle told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine” that the various metal alloys in the coins trigger a chemical reaction when they come into contact with the sweat of the palms.
Redness and itchy blisters can result.
The one euro coin consists of the following materials:
The core consists of a copper-nickel alloy
The “golden ring” is predominantly made of brass (an alloy of copper and zinc)
Danger in one and two euro coins: Who should be careful?
Instead of holding rare 1 euro coins in your hand for a long time, it is better to put the thalers away quickly.
For anyone who normally goes shopping at Kaufland or Lidl, the coins don't pose too much of a threat, as Nestle suspects.
The situation is more critical for people who have permanent and direct skin contact with coins.
For example, those affected are:
Bank teller
cashier
Vending machine services employee
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Cashiers and customers should therefore know how many coins are allowed when paying.
By using cashless payment methods such as credit and debit cards, apps or banknotes, contact with coins can be avoided.
Allergy sufferers in particular can protect themselves by avoiding coins.
But this reduces the likelihood of encountering rare misprints.
This is what threatens when coming into contact with coins: Danger from various materials
Especially around the turn of the millennium, many media reported high nickel values in one and two euro coins.
Not only the “Frankfurter Allgemeine”, but also “Stern” and “Spiegel” assumed around 300 times more nickel than was permitted by the EU guidelines for consumer goods.
A possible danger for allergy sufferers.
The “European Foundation for Allergy Research” (ECARF) names the following symptoms typical of a nickel allergy:
Severe itching
Burn
Pains
Redness
swelling
papules
Weeping blisters at the contact point
desquamation
Thickening of the skin
Whether the coins can trigger a nickel allergy is controversial among experts, as the “Frankfurter Allgemeine” writes.
However, the “Deutsche Apothekerzeitung” reports that people with nickel allergies should be careful when handling euro coins and, if necessary, wear gloves or at least not hold the coins in their hand for long.