Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!rutgers!rochester!PT!sei!sei.cmu.edu!firth
From: firth@sei.cmu.edu (Robert Firth)
Newsgroups: comp.std.internat,sci.lang
Subject: Re: Origin of "$", hopefully the last word!  (was: Re: Computers and human languages (was Re: What is a byte))
Message-ID: <2436@aw.sei.cmu.edu>
Date: Thu, 10-Sep-87 08:52:29 EDT
Article-I.D.: aw.2436
Posted: Thu Sep 10 08:52:29 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 12-Sep-87 10:55:23 EDT
References: <218@astra.necisa.oz> <8461@utzoo.UUCP <1364@sirius.UUCP> <1987Sep6.163621.26194@sq.uucp> <985@homxb.UUCP>
Sender: netnews@sei.cmu.edu
Reply-To: firth@bd.sei.cmu.edu.UUCP (PUT YOUR NAME HERE)
Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, SEI, Pgh, Pa
Lines: 35
Xref: mnetor comp.std.internat:223 sci.lang:1331

In article <985@homxb.UUCP> hrs@homxb.UUCP (H.SILBIGER) writes:
>
>Apart from the origin of the "$" sign, the name dollar comes from the
>germanic thaler, a coin used in central Europe for a long time.
>The coin was widespread, and aoften had specific designations, such
>as Maria Theresiathaler. In Dutch it was called the daalder, and a
>later one the rijksdaalder, which was worth Fl. 2.50, or two and 1/2
>guilders. In pre-war times, when currencies were more stable, the value
>of the rijksdaalder was exactly one dollar!  Also note the abbreviation
>Fl. for the guilder.  It stands for Florin, buit means guilder (gulden).
>
>Herman Silbiger  ...!ihnp4!homxb!hrs

The full name of the coin was 'Joachimsthaler', because the early
examples were minted from silver found in the Joachimsthal ('Thal'
- now 'Tal' - is the German for valley, compare Neanderthal).

True currencies are no less stable now than they were in pre-war
times; since all sane countries used one form or another of
precious-metal standard, coins were interchangeable on the basis
of their gold or silver content, so naturally two silver coins
of the same weight would have almost the same value.  A point
evidently lost on the bureaucrats who are advertising the latest
issue of US gold coins as "backed by the faith and credit of the
US government", since the rationale of true coinage is its value
in intrinsic. (Well, maybe they do have a point - the smaller US
gold coins are short weight)

In addition, 'Reichsthaler/ryksdaalder' means 'kingdoms-dollar',
implying it was minted under royal patent; compare the British
'sovereign' and Saxon 'crown'.

The word 'florin' comes from Florentia (English Florence), in
Renaissance times the home of one of the more trustworthy mints.
Compare 'bezant', from Byzantium, and of course 'franc'.