In 1966, Harrington's Special Forces Company was integrated into the 19th SFG(A), a Utah National Guard unit. The Utah State Adjutant General would give people he liked small jack knives. He would later challenge you to see if you still had yours. If you failed to produce it, you bought the drinks.
This reminded Jim of his "Jolly Sixpence Club." To build up "esprit de corps" while his unit was in Ethiopia, he reestablished the practice with the oversize Maria Theresa Dollars or "Thalers". These coins were originally minted in Vienna in 1780, but continued in circulation. Because of their purity and convenient size they were one of the most popular coin in the Middle East and Horn of Africa at the time. Even though they may have been minted recently, they always were struck with the date 1780. During the two years Harrington’s unit was in Ethiopia, the Maria Theresa dollars were awarded to troops for various meritorious acts or service.. When silver prices soared in 1968, they began counterfeiting the "Thalers" in brass, but no one liked the "clunkers."
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