piece of eight

American  

noun

1. peso.

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piece of eight British  

noun

1. a former Spanish coin worth eight reals; peso

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Etymology

Origin of piece of eight

First recorded in 1600–10

Example Sentences

It was a Spanish piece of eight," said Historian Truman, "and it was thrown across the Rappahannock .

From Time Magazine Archive

The coin most commonly current was the Spanish piece of eight, but the system of weights and measures was the English system, and reckoning was by pounds, shillings, and pence.

From The History of Currency, 1252 to 1896 by Shaw, William Arthur

After 1537 a handsome silver coin, known as the peso fuerte or "piece of eight" because each contained eight reals, was minted in America.

From The Age of the Reformation by Smith, Preserved

The men, weary of the voyage, offered a piece of eight "each man" to him who first discovered land.

From The Monarchs of the Main, Volume II (of 3) Or, Adventures of the Buccaneers by Thornbury, Walter

A Spanish piece of eight, worth 4s. 6d.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir