50 Bolívares

Venezuela's monetary system underwent serious strain in the late 1990s following the collapse of oil revenues and the 1994 banking crisis, which wiped out roughly half the country's financial institutions. By the time this coin entered circulation, the bolívar had lost so much purchasing power that 50-bolívar pieces — worth fractions of a U.S. cent — were functionally near-worthless in daily transactions. The switch to nickel clad steel reflected cost-cutting at the mint rather than any deliberate metallurgical policy.