A fun article on how we got Dollar and Pound and Peso and so on.
The dollar is the world's most common currency, used in the US, Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand, and Singapore and elsewhere.
According to OxfordWords, the Flemish or Low German word "joachimsthal" referred to Joachim's Valley, where silver was once mined. Coins minted from this mine became "joachimsthaler," which was later shortened to "thaler" and which eventually morphed into "dollar."
(Actually, I knew this. Came from when I studied German)
More @ How the world's currencies got their names and Origins of currencies: from jagged edges to flowers | OxfordWords blog
