CROWN, in commerce, is a general name for coins, both foreign and domestic, of or near the value of five shillings Sterling. In its limited sense, crown is only applicable to that popular English coin which bears the name, and which is equivalent to sixty English pence or five shillings, or to six livres French money. But, in its extensive sense, it takes in several others; as the French écu, which we call the French crown, struck in 1641 for sixty sols, or three livres; also the patagon, dollar, ducatoon, rixdollar, and piastre or piece of eight.