- Piastre
The piastre or piaster was a unit of currency. It was originally equal to one silver
dollar orpeso , served as the major unit of currency ofFrench Indochina (Present-dayVietnam ,Cambodia , andLaos ), and in theOttoman Empire .As a main unit
*
French Indochinese piastre
*Ottoman Turkish piastre As a subunit
* 1/100 of the
Egyptian pound
* 1/100 of theJordanian dinar
* 1/100 of theLebanese pound
* 1/100 of theSudanese pound
* 1/100 of theSyrian pound Informal usage
* Early private bank currency issues in French-speaking regions of
Canada were denominated in piastres. The term is still unofficially used in Quebec and Acadian slang as a reference to theCanadian dollar (the official French term for the modern Canadian dollar is "dollar").* "Piastre" was also the original French word for the
United States dollar, used for example in the French text of theLouisiana Purchase and that usage is still common in Cajun French. Modern French uses "dollar" for this unit of currency as well. The term is still used as slang for US dollars in the French speaking Caribbean islands, most notably Haiti.* "Piastre" is another name for
kuruş , 1/100 of theTurkish new lira , as well as the old lira.* The "Piastre" is still used in
Mauritius when bidding in auction sales, similarly to the way that guineas are used at racehorse auctions. It is equivalent to 2 rupees.ee also
*
Piastra Noted in pop group
Steely Dan 's song "Doctor Wu" -- "Just when I'd spent the last piastre I could borrow."
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