Here in Colombia the exchange rate this morning is over 3100 pesos per US$ , The smallest coin I have seen is 50 pesos – less than 2 cents US . But at the supermarket on Tuesdays and Thursdays , you can get a small net bag of 4-6 Haas avocados or a pineapple for 1000 pesos ( ~30 cents US ).
The last time I was in Italy ( pre-Euro ) shopkeepers would have a dish for coinage and if you had change coming in coins , they would take it from the dish . I guess most patrons would just put it back in the dish , much like folks in the US do with pennies now .
I can remember Cokes for a nickel (plus 2 cents deposit if you took the bottle out of the store) , and penny candies that were 3 for a cent .
Thanks , Federal Reserve !