The Money No One Wants

100 pesos. It's basically a $20 bill in Canadian funds. And NO ONE will take it.

Hold a $100 bill in your hands and you're cursed. Today, after class, we stop for coffee at our favourite cafe, La Poesia, and when I whip out the 100 dineros to pay, it's like I've taken out a $1,000,000 dollar bill. I think I hear the waitress gasp. Then she shakes her head and frowns and when I try to explain it's all I have, off she goes to the counter mumbling and cursing. Eventually, I dig up enough small change to pay the cheque and consequently, save myself from being banned for life from the cafe (thank goodness for that — the coffee is really good!).

From there, we go to an accessories shop to buy a small thank you gift for our Spanish teacher. The cost — $29 pesos. And when I pull out the 100 pesos bill, again, it's like I'm revealing a second head.

There is no sale and no gift. Why? Because there is no change to be had for the dreaded, scary $100 pesos bill. How dare I?

In the end, we are forced to take a number at the bank and wait in the 'waiting room' to exchange our $100 peso bills for smaller ones. At least now we can buy coffee and earrings...

Argentina has a big problem with counterfeit bills. There are a number of methods for checking if the bills you receive are legit — use a special invisible ink pen available at all stationary shops, look for the government authorized watermarks on the bills (I can't see them even on legit bills) or wipe the bill on another piece of paper to see if it smudges.

$100 bills are a big no-no. I'm assuming this is because they are the most commonly counterfeited bills? Regardless, it is an established social custom that you do not use $100 bills to pay for anything small like a coffee or earrings. Taxi drivers will apparently drive you to a bank or money exchange house rather than accept the vile $100 bill.

But Chinese supermarkets will take them. Go figure. Thankfully we have one just around the corner. Buy a bottle of wine for 10 pesos and get some much needed change.

Whatever works...