Spanish silver, especially those coins minted in Mexico City and at the Potosi Mint in Bolivia, were long the dominant coinage of the New World and of international trade. The first Dollar Coins of the United States were simply Mexico City 8 Reales Coins. We're all familiar with terms derived from the long usage of these coins, though we may not be aware of their parentage. "Pieces of Eight" is obvious enough as a reference to the 8 Reales coins Spain minted, but the fractionalized use of these coins was literal. 2 bits referred to 2 pie-shaped cuts from an 8 Reales Coin. Our very term "Real" (meaning "genuine" or "sincere") is derived from past reliance on the Spanish Real as the single-most trustworthy currency. You can see then how much of our REALITY, even today, is determined by our forebearers' preference for Spanish silver.

       The 1780 Maria Theresa Taler is often refered to as the worlds most famous silver coin. In its heyday it was the most widely accepted silver coin in the Middle East and North Africa, becoming an unofficial currency in many lands. The 1780 Taler was so established that it remained the most trusted money in North Africa into the 20th century. Thanks to the laws of the Austrian Republic and the decree of 1857, the 1780 Maria Theresa Taler has continued to be struck and remains an official coin of trade in the world to this day.    

State of Ohio - WWII - Liquor Ration Document & Purchase Record - Includes Sales Tax Stamps, 1943

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