The Spanish dollar, also known as the piece of eight (Spanish: real de a ocho, dólar, peso duro, peso fuerte or peso), is a silver coin of approximately 38 mm (1.5 in) diameter worth eight Spanish reales.

Jun 11, 2018 · PIECES OF EIGHT, Spanish silver coins of eight reals (eight bits), first authorized in 1497. Also known as pesos and Spanish dollars, they were minted in enormous quantities and soon became recognized as a reliable medium of exchange in …

Pieces of eight may sound like a made up thing, but the coins are made of silver and were an official currency for the country of Spain and all her associated colonies and territories for centuries. From 1497 to 1864 this silver coin was in use as …

May 23, 2024 · Pieces of eight are historical Spanish dollar coins minted in the Americas from the late 15th century through the 19th century. Made of silver, they were in nearly worldwide circulation by the late 19th century and were legal currency in the United States until 1857.

The Piece of Eight was made famous in pirate folklore when Robert Louis Stevenson published his famous novel, Treasure Island, featuring the villainous pirate Long John Silver and his sidekick parrot, which he named Captain Flint after his former pirate captain.

Jan 9, 2023 · They were the 8 reales: specimens that served for domestic and international trade until after the independence of the colonies. Here are some facts about the origin, use and importance of these coins, which symbolized Hispanic …

Hence, the British called the Spanish dollar a “Piece of Eight” (a coin worth eight pieces, or bits), and something valued at “two bits” cost a quarter of a dollar. Americans used foreign money until 1857 when the United States government passed a law forbidding it.

Nov 27, 2013 · The Spanish 8 reales was the world money standard from the Mexico Mint's founding in 1535 until the 1850's. They started out as rather crude "cob" coins.

Sep 29, 2017 · The value of a pieces of eight coin was based on the weight of the silver. At the time the coins were made, one ounce of silver was worth one dollar. The coin could actually be cut into eight pieces, or bits. Each bit was thus worth 1/8 of a dollar.

Jan 29, 2022 · The legendary pirate coins known as “pieces-of-eight” were actually silver “dollars” made by native American craftsmen in Mexico, Peru, Colombia and other countries in Central and South America, who had been enslaved by the Spaniards.