Therijksdaalder (Dutch pronunciation:[rɛiksˈdaːldər]^ⓘ; "Imperial dollar") was a Dutch coin first issued by theRepublic of the Seven United Netherlands in the late 16th century during theDutch Revolt which featured an armored half bust ofWilliam the Silent. It was the Dutch counterpart of theReichsthaler of theHoly Roman Empire (weighing 29.232 grams of 0.889 fine silver) but weighed slightly less, at 29.03 g (448 grains) of 0.885 fine silver, reduced to 0.875 fine by the 17th century.^[1][2]Friesland,Gelderland,Holland,Kampen,Overijssel,Utrecht,West Friesland,Zeeland, andZwolle minted armored half bust rijksdaalders until the end of the 17th century.

17th century rijksdaalder was set to be equal to from 48 to 50stuivers (the Dutch equivalent of shillings) and circulated along withsilver florins (28 stuivers), daalders (30 stuivers),leeuwendaalders (36 to 42 stuivers; 27.68 g, 0.743 fine), silver ducats (48 stuivers; 28.06 g, 0.868 fine), and ducatons (60 stuivers; 32.46 g, 0.938 fine)^[1][3] silver ducats and rijksdaalders were almost of the same size and quality. With the disappearance of the original armored half bust rijksdaalder design, silver ducats and later2+1⁄2 guilders started to be called rijksdaalders.

Unification of the Dutch monetary system in the beginning of the 18th century introducedguilder and set rijksdaalders and silver ducats at2+1⁄2 guilders. Followingdecimalization (in 1816),2+1⁄2-guilder coins were no longer produced because a 3-guilder coin was thought to better fit in the series of denominations. This turned out to be a mistake (due to the highsilver price) and from 1840 onward2+1⁄2-guilder coins were produced again. Production stopped in 2002 due to the introduction of theeuro.2+1⁄2-guilder coins continued to be called by their nicknamesrijksdaalder,riks, andknaak until the introduction of the euro.

TheRoyal Dutch Mint still mints a silverducat "rijksdaalder" to this day.^[4]

These are mintage figures for the 21⁄2-guilder denomination until introduction of the euro in 2002. It excludes the silver ducat which is still minted as anumismatic product even after 2002.

The Dutch rijksdaalder and its local2+1⁄2-guilder coin (or banknote) counterparts circulated during Indonesia'sDutch colonial period from 1602 until 1949 when it was replaced by therupiah that would retain the 2½ denomination until 1975 when the last Rp2½ (a banknote issued in 1968) was demonetized. It was locally known as theringgit.

TheNetherlands United East India Company (VOC) issued the rijksdaalder in theCape Colony in the 17th century. The Dutch monetary system overseas of a rijksdaalder – orrixdollar – of 48 stuiver was continued in theCape Province by the British in the early nineteenth century.

InCeylon, the VOC issued coins during the 18th century in denominations of1⁄8 and 1 duit,1⁄4, 1, 2 and4+3⁄4 stuiver and 1 rijksdaalder. The currency derived from the Dutch rijksdaalder, although again the Dutch rijksdaalder was worth 50stuiver and theCeylon version 48stuiver. After the British took over Ceylon and therixdollar was the currency of Ceylon until 1828. The rixdollar was then replaced by theBritish pound at a rate of 1 rixdollar = 1 shilling 6 pence (£1 =13+1⁄3 rixdollars).

InSuriname, the Surinamese Rijksdaalder circulated until 2004, when theSurinamese guilder was replaced by theSurinamese dollar; the 250-cent coin, however, became revalued to SRD 2.50 and remains in circulation. In the formerNetherlands Antilles, the rijksdaalder circulated until 2011: in that year theNetherlands Antillean guilder was replaced by theAmerican dollar in the SABA municipalities, and theCaribbean guilder replaced the Antillean guilder inCuraçao andSint Maarten in 2025.

Aruba, which still usestheir own currency, mints an Aruban ƒ 2+1⁄2 coin.

The similarly namedReichsthaler,riksdaler andrigsdaler were used inGermany andAustria-Hungary,Sweden,Denmark, andNorway, respectively.

Thedollar is named after the Dutch daalder, the little brother of the rijksdaalder, with a value of 30 stuiver.^{[citation needed]}

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