The United States Adopts the Dollar

We Gilflurt girls have always liked the heft of a full purse so in honour of my colonist companion, I thought I'd share a few lines about dollars today!

On 6th July 1785, following debate, investigation and analysis, the Continental Congress of the United States unanimously resolved:

"That the money unit of the Unites States be one dollar."

Later discussions were to conclude on the exact make up of that said dollar (to be precise, three hundred and seventy five grains and sixty four hundredths of a grain of fine silver).

It would be seven years before the passage of the Coinage Act would authorise the construction of a Mint building in Philadelphia under the Directorship of David Rittenhouse. In fact, some of President Washington's own silver was used in the minting as he was a close neighbour to the newly-built Mint.

A 1785 Dollar