Where did the dollar really come from, and why does its story begin nowhere near the United States? In this episode, we take a deep dive into the astonishing history of the dollar, tracing its path from a 16th century Bohemian silver coin to the foundation of modern global finance. What most people think of as the most American form of money turns out to be the product of centuries of trade, empire, smuggling, language change, and economic improvisation.

This transcript explores how the dollar’s name evolved from Joachimsthaler to thaler to dollar, how American colonists came to depend on Spanish silver pesos, and why the now-iconic dollar sign likely grew out of merchant shorthand rather than the letters U and S. The episo ...