Iterative solution for the minimal change problem.

min_change.js

  var solutions = {},
      coins = [1,5,7,9,11];

  var process = function (t) {
    if (t == 0) {
      // solved
      return 0;
    } else if (t < 0) {
      // wrong path; return really large number
      return 2e10;
    } else if (t in solutions) {
      return solutions[t];
    } else {
      var candidates = [];
      for (var i=0; i<coins.length; i++) {
        // try each type
        var remainder = t - coins[i],
            lookUp = process(remainder);
        candidates.push(lookUp);
        if (lookUp === 0) { break; }
      } // for loop
      console.log(candidates);
      var bottom = Math.min.apply(Math,candidates),
      solution = bottom + 1; // at least one coin
      solutions[t] = solution;
    } // else
    return solution;
  };

  var target = '100';
  process(target);