How about eliminating pennies and nickels and replacing them with a 2 cent coin. All prices would round to the next even amount. There would still be no need for more that 4 of the smallest coins in change (same as now). The dollar coin would have a place in cash registers and the two dollar bill would have a place as well.
The government wouldn't need public support. They could just do it.
Sounds good to me. Inflation has really taken a toll on the various denominations in which our coins are issued. But I believe it DOES require an act of Congress to authorize a change, and none of those morons have the common sense to propose such an adjustment.
But there is precedent for coins in denominations other than what is in current use.
Half Cents were minted from 1793~1857
Two Cent pieces from 1864~1873
Three Cent Pieces 1851~1889
and Twenty-Cent Pieces 1875-1878
Of course, there are also various gold coins in 1, 2½, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20 and 50 dollar denominations. (source)