Who Cares About Pennies When There’s Candy?

In Argentina, buying a pack of gum can throw you into a standoff with the cashier, who, due to the country’s coin shortage, often lacks the correct change.

Facing similar problems, nearby Paraguay has adopted a socially acceptable solution for vendors: when you don’t have change or need to round up, candy is acceptable currency.

If Americans place as much value on Jolly Ranchers or Skittles as on pennies, could this practice assuage those who fear being ripped off in a penniless society?

But this form of currency already posed a problem in Indonesia, when an Australian expat tried to pay for his groceries with a wallet-full of candy.

(Hat tip: James B.C.)