The Maria Theresa Thaler [1st 12min]

Sandi Toksvig discovers the Austrian coin that conquered the Middle East. The Maria Theresa Thaler was first minted in the 18th century in the reign of Maria Theresa of Austria, the Holy Roman Empress. This common currency is still used across the Middle East and northern Africa and can be found in Arabian jewellery and in souks. Sandi is joined by Clara Semple, an archeological artist who worked in the Middle East for most of her life, in Egypt, the Sudan and Yemen. Her book A Silver Legend: The Story of the Maria Theresa Thaler (Barzan Publishing Ltd) uncovers the story of this remarkable coin.