EclectEcon

I have long advocated abolishing the penny (one-cent coin, as it is properly called) in Canada [see here, here, and here, for example]. I'd be just as happy to get rid of the nickel and quarter, too and round everything to one decimal point.

Imagine my surprise and wonderment (and possible enlightenment) when I read today in a NYTimes column by Austan Goolsbee that

Most economists, then, argue that we should use this opportunity to abolish pennies the way Canada, Britain and the European countries that use the euro abolished their smallest coins.

I'm pretty old, and I have lived in Canada for over 35 years. I don't remember when this happened or what coin it was. Can someone please help me (and possibly Austan) out? Thanks.

Update #1: Austan sent me e-mail saying,

Ack! It was supposed to be Australia not Canada. Thanks for finding the gaff. I will send them a note.

Update #2: He followed up with this:

Actually, my original source informs me that a couple of Canadian provinces had half-cent coins in the mid 1800s that they got rid of, just like they did in the U.S. (so 35 years there makes you but a babe), so the statement was not incorrect.

More relevant to the current discussion, though, I meant that Australia had dumped its penny. And New Zealand recently did, too.