>The U.S. is considering getting rid of pennies. For one thing they cost more than a penny to make.
Let's go for the scientific approach:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/080530.htmlIOW, it didn't, but do now.
But you don't need any other indication that there's inflation: the value of goods calculated in anything but money. Your prepaid stuff is worth... n pieces, not m dollars. You aren't buying phone services for n dollars - dollars may be worth anything in a week or two, you're buying minutes and your prepaid _minutes_ stay prepaid, no matter how many dollars may they be worth in the end. Likewise, the "forever" postage stamps. Meaning "pay now and pass the money to us right away, and we'll incur the cost of inflation for you".
Just watch for these signs of the times. Once you get your water billing expressed in "you owe us n gallons worth" instead of dollars, that'll be it. I think that back home the city utilities still do it that way - though the inflation is long gone. When Milošević was unelected, they set $1=60 dinars, and a bit below that for 1€. Nowadays it's 1€=82 dinars, and $1=52 dinars. Dinar used to be the most unstable currency in Europe. You see where it's going.
