My brother first suggested this to me, and I tried it out today and found it works pretty well. A local party supply store has a pack of 144 shiny gold plastic coins for $3.99. I find they add a bit more flavor to the game than using plastic poker chips. ("I feel like Scrooge McDuck," one of the other players said as he picked up his stack, probably because the coins all had a big dollar sign on them much like the coins in those comics.)
...And, you've given me an idea for a "brainstorming" thread...
:)
David