Trade Dollars were first introduced in the late 15th Century, when the ‘Spanish Dollar’ was used as a standardised currency to facilitate international trade.

Minted to a consistent specification and worth eight Spanish Reales, the reliable, trusted Spanish Dollars were the original “pieces of eight”!

The first Japanese Trade Dollar followed in 1874, helping Japan to trade in the lucrative Chinese markets.

Despite only being produced for three years, nearly three million were minted, many of which then entered into general circulation in Japan.