Can We Still Count? A Cashless World and the Lost Art of Handling Money

The other day, I had one of those simple but telling moments — I went to a coffee shop and decided to pay with coins. Like many, I have a small pile of change building up at home and thought it was a good time to use some of it.

The young girl at the counter took the coins and then paused. She stared at them. Counted slowly. Then tried again. It was clear she was struggling. Not because she was inattentive or careless — she simply did not seem used to handling physical money.

And it got me thinking: are we slowly losing the ability to count?

As we move closer to a cashless society, especially with younger generations fully immersed in tap-and-go culture, it is possible that some may never really interact with coins or notes in a meaningful way. For many, money exists only on screens — in apps, in balances, in digital transactions. Physical cash is becoming unfamiliar.

Now, I am not saying we need to go back to carrying wads of notes. Electronic payments are convenient. They are fast. They are hygienic. But somewhere in this shift, it seems we may be losing something basic — the simple, human skill of counting real money.

There was a time when handling coins was a part of daily life — at the milk bar, the train station, or the corner store. Today, some may never even touch a coin unless it is tossed in a jar or handed back in rare change.

That coffee shop moment was not about the price of coffee. It was a reminder that even as we embrace technology, we should not forget the basics. Because one day, we might need them — and find we are a little rusty.