Tossing a coin into a fountain is a time-honoured tradition that many of us have done at some point.
But have you ever stopped to think what happens to the thousands of coins that are thrown into the water every year?
People toss coins for various reasons, whether it’s for luck, as a prayer, out of superstition, or simply for fun.
The Trevi Fountain in Rome, one of the city’s most famous landmarks, is said to rake in over £1million every year from coin tossing alone.
But where does all this money go?
According to Mario Van Poppel, founder and owner of travel money specialists Leftover Currency, there are several things that can happen to it.
According to Mario Van Poppel, founder and owner of travel money specialists Leftover Currency, there are several things that can happen to it, reports the Mirror.
He said: “If you’re wondering what happens to all that cash, the answer is that these fountains are regularly mined for the coins and the money eventually goes towards charity or to the upkeep of the fountain.
“In the Trevi Fountain’s case, the money is donated to Roman Catholic charity Caritas, which uses it to fund projects such as soup kitchens, homeless shelters and a supermarket for those in need.”
He added: “In smaller fountains, it’s not uncommon for the money to just sit there for long periods, while in others it can be used towards maintaining the fountain to keep it functioning.”
Another famous fountain, the Bellagio lake in Las Vegas, USA, collected around £8,500 one year.
This cash was then donated to the homebuilding charity Habitat for Humanity.
Disneyland in Florida reportedly collects up to £22,000 annually from its fountains, which is generously donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
However, not all fountains are deemed appropriate for coin tossing.
Visitors to the 9/11 memorial in New York are urged to refrain out of respect for the victims.