Real coins·13 May 2026·5 min read
The Maria Theresa thaler — the immortal coin
An Austrian coin from 1780 has been struck continuously for over 240 years and circulated as money in Africa and Arabia.
The silver thaler bearing Empress Maria Theresa, dated 1780, became so respected that it kept being struck with the same date even after her death — to this day.
Money in a world without banks
In Ethiopia, Yemen and much of Africa and Arabia, people trusted its constant silver and used it as money for centuries, even though the empire that issued it was gone. Trust outlived the state.
A good coin is like a reputation: it lasts long after its maker is gone.
