Perfume maker perfects the smell of American paper currency

What does money smell like? Chemist and perfumier Marc vom Ende was commissioned by artist Mike Bouchet to create the well-known but hard-to-describe smell, and it turned out money smells like America itself:

Starting with base notes of cotton, soap and ink, Mr. vom Ende says, the scent sweeps in odors derived from more than 100 volatile organic chemicals. It includes whiffs of leather from time spent in wallets and handbags, a metallic tang that evokes cash registers, salty human sweat and even bacterial and bathroom smells.

The smell will cost $75,000, which smells like a bargain.

What Gives Money Its Distinctive Smell? One Chemist Tried to Find Out (Wall Street Journal)

Image: Eli Christman