Named after a valley — Joachimsthal in Bohemia, where silver 'thalers' were minted. Chosen in 1785 to break from the pound.
The basic monetary unit of the United States, Canada, Australia, and various other countries.
From Low German or Dutch 'daler,' a clipping of 'Joachimsthaler,' a silver coin first minted in 1519 in the town of Joachimsthal ('Joachim's valley') in Bohemia (now Jachymov, Czech Republic). The '-thaler' element comes from German 'Thal' (valley), from Old High German 'tal,' from Proto-Germanic *dala, from PIE *dhol- (a hollow, valley). The coin's high silver content and consistent weight made
The US dollar is named after a valley in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic). In 1785, the Continental Congress chose 'dollar' over 'pound' specifically to signal independence from Britain. The $ sign may derive from the Spanish 'pieces of eight' (pesos de a ocho), with the S from 'pesos' and the vertical strokes from the Pillars of Hercules on Spanish coins