Why are highest denomination bills on the left

[retiredtraveler]

A burning question.

I was discussing placement of bills and coins in a cash register. Overwhelmingly, larger bills/coins are placed on the left, and going downward. Does anyone know why? I've tried searching on this, but didn't find an answer. We tend to think of going smaller to larger, so logically (?), the one dollar bills should be on the left.
I do know that if you have a setup where the customer is to your side, rather than in front of you, the small bills are put on tha customer side to help prevent them from easily snatching a bunch of large bills (they would have to reach further over to get at the good stuff).

Anyway, something to ponder unless someone has the answer.............

 

[Aunt Bea]

I just assumed that it is because that is how we express money. $125.36, $115.55, etc...

 

[Tommy]

I have no clue, but can make a guess. Most cashiers are right handed. The bill most often handled is the $1 bill. Could be totally wrong, but it makes sense to me.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

It could be the way you made change in the days before cash registers calculated the amount given back to the customer. It's been 57 years, since I've given back change, so I'm really fuzzy on this. You buy $1 worth of stuff and pay with a $100 bill. You start with the $1. How many ones to make the next highest denomination? 4. Then how many $5s to make a $10- ans, 1. Then how many $10s to make a $20- ans. 1. Then how many $20s to make a $100- ans 4. Surprisingly, after awhile you can do this without thinking. But you are using the till from right to left. From lower to higher denominations.

 

[SeaBreeze]

I agree with Aunt Bea and Tommy, first thing that came into my mind about it, have to admit, never thought about it before.

 

[Gary O']

I have no clue, but can make a guess. Most cashiers are right handed. The bill most often handled is the $1 bill. Could be totally wrong, but it makes sense to me.

That's where my mind went

 

[Lord Elpus]

I worked in a garage for a while once. I recall-and have always found useful to remember-that larger denomination notes tend to be larger in size,so 'crumple' them a little wnen placing them in the till,as it stops them sticking together when giving change. It could be that larger denomination notes take more handling...so it's one hand to lift the clip,one hand to lift the [slightly crumpled] banknote....ergo,if there ARE two stuck together,you have a much better chance of noticing/feeling it???

 

[Pappy]

Tommy nailed it. When I learned to run register, we were taugh to do this and all bills facing up the same direction. Once you learn this system, it cuts down on mistakes making change.