The silver real was minted by the Catholic Monarchs after the monetary reform sanctioned by the Royal Pragmatics of Medina del Campo in June 1497. The 8 reals were minted in America in the mints of Bolivia, Mexico and Peru Since the 16th century and transported to Spain, but its use also spread throughout Asia thanks to the Manila Galleon that transported silver coins from Mexico to the Philippines, being accepted in exchange for merchandise, while silver was the only foreign merchandise that China accepted as payment. The Spanish 8 reales were often stamped with Chinese characters indicating that they were legal tender in their lands.
The 8-real coin or "peso duro" was widely used at the end of the 18th century in Europe, all of America and the Far East, becoming the first world currency known as the Spanish dollar, pieces of eight or eight real coin.