Germany may have gotten rid of its kaiser long ago, but the country still has a king: cash. An outlier among rich countries, Germans are famously shy about paying with cards, let alone swiping a smartphone at the checkout line. German shops and restaurants are equally famous for not wanting to accept card payments.

But now with social distancing rules and the fear of spreading COVID-19, signs are popping up in restaurants and shops asking customers to pay electronically -- if possible with a contactless card -- to avoid close contact while exchanging cash.

Add to this the people ordering and paying online for household items and take-away food during coronavirus lockdowns and a revolution is underway. Germans, it seems, may finally be pushed into the age of electronic payments whether they want it or not. Soon cash may no longer be king.