Coins from different European countries were used and put into circulation. These coins were rare and much trade was done through barter and goods. The Continental Congress issued the first unified currency declared exchangeable for gold or silver during the Revolutionary War. After the war, more money was printed than the precious metal reserved by the government, so it became almost worthless. In 1792, growing population and commerce in the United States led the new government to seek ways to establish a strong and stable central monetary policy. Congress was given the authority to create and establish this system and passed the Currency Act which made the dollar the primary monetary unit. The law was based on the use of gold and silver as the backing of the dollar, but due to the scarcity of these raw materials at that time, many adjustments were made to the value of the dollar. (The U.S. money rate