Final answer:
Continental dollars were printed by the American colonies to fund their war effort during the Revolutionary War but quickly lost value due to inflation and lack of backing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Continental dollars were printed in the late 18th century by the C) American colonies. During the American Revolutionary War, the continental currency was created to fund the war effort. Initially backed by loans obtained in Europe, the Continental quickly depreciated due to overprinting and lack of solid financial backing, leading to the expression "not worth a Continental" to describe something of no value. This period also saw each state issuing their own paper money alongside the Continental, further complicating the economy.