American Trade Dollar
1873 ・ silver ・ 19th century ・ United States Mint
The Eagle Dollar's dominance eventually gave rise to a competitor. In 1873, the United States issued the Trade Dollar. This was a dedicated trade silver coin, created not for domestic use, but to break the Mexican dollar's stronghold in the Asian market. A currency designed not for its own country, but to fight another nation's silver coin—this in itself speaks to the dynamics of the era. Its opponent was a silver coin with a 300-year track record. The newcomer coin had to build its credibility from scratch, port by port.