The 'I Smell Pennies' meme originates from a 2017 YouTube video by Roi Fabito, also known as Guava Juice. In the clip, Fabito wears a distorted facial expression while aggressively sniffing the air after hearing a coin drop, shouting the titular phrase. The absurdity of his face combined with the hyper-fixation on low-value currency turned it into an instant viral hit. It is primarily used to mock people who act desperate for small amounts of money or to represent a person's intense focus on finding something specific. The meme remains a staple in meme culture due to its high-energy, chaotic nature and is frequently used in 'cursed image' edits.