If pennies were more like dimes in Grandpa's day, how did he pay for gum?

Factual Questions
1

I remember lots of things you could once get for a penny. My favorite was gum.

But, then as now, inflation had made everything ten times more expensive than a generation before.

Since they didn’t have smaller coins for Grandpa, how did he buy gum? It’s as though the smallest thing in your pocket today was a quarter. Isn’t that too big an increment for everyday newstand commerce?

2

WAG: Maybe he got, say, 10 for a 1 cent.

3

There was a half-cent piece from 1793 to 1857. That doesn’t really answer the question, but I thought I’d throw it in there.

4

Well your Grandpa stole it, and because it was worth next to nothing no one bothered prosecuting.

5

He got more gum.
He got larger penny candies.

I’m 36. I remember when gumballs were solid. Nowadays, gumballs are hollow so manufacturers can eek out more balls from the same amount of gum.

I remember three pieces of Bazooka gum for a penny, too.

6

DrMatrix and ChiefScott got it right. In fact, just last night my dad was in one of those “back in my day” modes, and he specifically mentioned this. He could get 5 sticks of licorice for a penny at the local pharmacy where he grew up in the 1930’s and 40’s.

7

The first commercial chewing gum was Adams New York #1 which appeared in the 1870’s. The first real push to sell gum under a brand name was done by William Wrigley, Jr. at the turn of the century. So this is a pretty recent phenom.
Those penny gum balls are now a quarter. The Wrigley 5 pack that sold for a nickle is a lot more (depending on the vending machine you’re buying it out of).

8

Where I am the smallest denomination is 5c. I remember 2 for a cent lollies. In the UK (the pound being the oldest currency) farthings (a quarter of a penny) were fairly recently abolished, and there were lesser divisions (groats??)

Aside from getting 10 for a penny, how would lollies work if you could get 10 or even 100 for the samllest coin? WAG: accounts.

The “arm’s length” nature of most modern transactions is historically unusual. In the past, people shopped at a familiar store where they could pay by the week/ month. Getting a fraction of a cent’s sweets would be accounted for over time.