It'd actually be an interesting experiment to see what you could buy with smaller-denomination gold coins. I would bet some number of independent businessmen (but not large chain stores) would be willing to accept, say, the 1/10-oz American Gold Eagle as equivalent to around $180.
If that caught on, the next logical step would be for more counterfeit gold coins to come into circulation. Do these businessmen have the energy to try to detect fraud in two kinds of currency? Especially as gold coin fraud doesn't have the same harsh legal penalties as counterfeiting paper money.
