1780, Maria Theresa, SILVER Thaler Coin

The Maria Theresa Thaler was originally struck in Austria between 1740 and 1780. It was the circulating currency of the Holy Roman Empire and its dominions, it was one of the most important trade coins in Europe and the world. Since the death of Maria Theresa in 1780, the coin has always been dated 1780. It has been continuously minted in various mints around the world: Birmingham, Bombay, Brussels, London, Paris, Rome, Utrecht, Habsburg mints in Günzburg, Milan, Prague, and Vienna. It is estimated that until 2000, 389 million pieces were minted.

It was the basis of the silver dollar which was adopted by the then fledgling United States under the Mint Act of 1792. The word "dollar" is derived from the German word "Thaler/Taler". Also known as the Levant dollar, it also circulated as trade coinage / currency in the Arab world (Saudi Arabia, the Yemen, Syria, Muscat and Oman), Africa (Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique), in India and Indonesia. It remains in circulation to this day in the conflict areas of the Middle East and Africa.