When you say something would cost a ton of money, here's what you're actually talking about:

According to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, all paper bills weigh the same: one gram. About 454 grams make a pound, which means that a ton of dollar bills would be worth $908,000.

A ton of $5s then would be worth $4,540,000, and a ton of $10s would come to $9,080,000.

You don't get as much with a ton of coins. A quarter weighs 5.7 grams, according to the U.S. Mint. So a ton of quarters would be worth $40,000.
With pennies, it gets worse. You would need 362,200 pennies, at 2.5 grams each, to make a ton, for a paltry sum of $3,632. In that case, losing a ton of money would not be a total disaster.