Letter: Grateful to Europe
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Speaking to the CBI conference (report, 3 November) Michael Portillo suggests that the creation of a single currency is "a leap of faith ... has never been done before and therefore ... has never succeeded".
If he checks the US Mint website he will find that they got there first: "A committee of seven was appointed by the Continental Congress on April 19, 1776, to examine and ascertain the value of the gold and silver coins then current in the colonies. ... Included in the [committee's] report are references to such denominations as English and French guineas, Johannes and half Johannes, Spanish and French pistole, doubloons, English and French crowns, English shillings, and the then popular Spanish milled dollars, all of which served as a medium of exchange in the colonies.... The dollar was established as the ideal money unit of the United States of America by the Continental Congress, on July 6, 1785."
As Mr Portillo probably imagines, the dollar was a great failure and the US remained a backward, isolated country some way off the coast of Europe.
TOM PARKHILL
Bath
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments