Which coin, first minted in 1741, was widely used in international trade and named for Empress Maria Theresa?

The Maria Theresa thaler was the coin first minted in 1741 and widely used in international trade.

The coin is named for Maria Theresa, ruler of the Habsburg monarchy. It carries her portrait and the date 1780, the year of her death, even though later restrikes continued to use that date. Its design and dependable silver content made it popular beyond the territories where it was legal tender.

Merchants used Maria Theresa thalers across the Middle East, East Africa, and parts of Asia. European powers and later governments produced restrikes to meet demand, meaning many surviving coins were not struck in 1780.

The word “thaler” belongs to the same family of names as “dollar.” The Maria Theresa thaler should not be confused with an ordinary Austrian currency issue: it functioned mainly as a trade coin outside Austria and remained important long after Maria Theresa’s reign.