Crossposted from https://lemmy.one/comment/283051:
Does anyone else think it’s a little backwards that the large denominations are fragile paper bills, but the small ones are metal coins sometimes worth less than the metal in the coin? Shouldn’t the large denominations be coins, which last longer, and the small denominations be bills, which are easier to carry in large quantities?
Durable coins that won’t wear out for small purchases (back when things actually cost pennies), and paper bills for large purchases with the anti-counterfeiting measure of being able to have large, intricate designs.
I’m not sure how important it is for small denominations to be durable, since a pocketful of loose change is practically disposable for a lot of people. As for anti-counterfeiting measures, I think coins have a lot of potential.