Spanish dollar

The Spanish dollar or peso ("heavy") was a silver coin which was minted by Spain since a currency reform in 1497. It was still in heavy use in North America and in South-East Asia in the early 19th century.

The Spanish dollar had a nominal value of 8 reales (see pieces_of_eight) and was about equivalent to the Bohemian thaler (issued since 1517). Originally the coin nominally weighed 550.209 Spanish grains, is 423.900 troy grains, is 27.468 metric grams, .93055 fine: so contained 25.560 grams fine silver. Its weight and purity varied significantly over the centuries however.

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