With the helping hand of the Holy Roman Empire, the thaler spread across Europe. From here it was just a matter of time before the Dutch brought the Leeuwendaler to New Amsterdam. And after New Amsterdam turned into New York, the Leeuwendaler turned into the dollar. By passing through the Joachimsthalers from neighbor to stranger, our ancestors breathed life into our financial system.
They relied on each other to spread their currencies across the globe. They relied on their currencies to improve their welfare and wellbeing. That interdependence still persists in our financial system today: we need strong, stable and sustainable finances to ensure and support welfare and wellbeing. This is a balancing act that requires all of us to weigh in.