dadiOH wrote:

The Mexican peso was at about 12.5 to the US dollar for many years.
Mexico defaulted on some debt in the early 80s and by the time I got there
it was at about 3000 to the dollar, topped out at about 3500:1. Shortly
before I left, they lopped off three zeros, not at all popular with the
Mexicans. Why? Because it was easy to be a peso millionaire at 3500:1,
not so easy at 3.5:1

During that era I went over to Neuvo Laredo to look around. It was hot and I
was thristy, so I got a glass of something sort of like lemonade from a
street vendor. I gave him a US dollar, and held my hand out for the change.
He put a few coins in, but when I still had my hand out he added a bunch
more. I finally waved him off when I had a collection of odd Mexican coins.
The whole pocketful was probably worth 5 cents but I'd have paid a buck for
the glass of whatever anyway.