This is an official restrike of "the world's most famous silver coin", the 1780 Maria Theresa Taler. In its heyday it was the most widely accepted silver coin in the Middle East and North Africa, becoming almost an unofficial currency in some lands. The 1780 Taler was so established that it remained the most trusted money in North Africa into the 2oth century. Thanks to the laws of the Austrian Republic and the decree of 1857, the 1780 Maria Theresa Taler has continued to be struck and remains an official coin of trade in the world to this day. The Maria Theresa Taler belongs in every world coin collection because of its history and significance.