thaler

The thaler was a large silver coin used throughout the Holy Roman Empire and much of Europe from the 16th to the 19th century. The name derives from the German Thaler, meaning a valley, and specifically from the Joachimsthaler minted in the Joachimsthal valley of Bohemia after silver deposits were found there in the early 1500s. The first coins appeared around 1518 and their widespread circulation gave rise to a family of coins and to a broader monetary standard known as the taler.

Across German-speaking lands, thalers varied in weight and fineness, but by the 17th century large silver coins such as the Reichsthaler functioned as a common monetary unit within the Empire. In the 18th century, the Maria Theresa thaler, first minted in 1741, became one of the most enduring trade coins and continued to be produced for centuries, often used outside official accounts in international commerce.

Linguistically, the thaler influenced the names of several currencies, most notably the English word dollar. Variants and local forms persisted in different countries, including Riksdaler in Sweden and rigsdaler in Denmark–Norway, among others. The thaler declined in prominence in the 19th century as many European states adopted decimal currencies and standardized units. Nevertheless, the thaler’s legacy remains in the historical monetary landscape and in the enduring influence on currency names worldwide.