A Guide Book of Modern United States Dollar Coins

Book excerpt: Eisenhower, Susan B. Anthony, Saeagawea, Native American, and Presidential dollar coins are the modern versions of America's classic silver dollar. The U.S. Mint produces them by the millions, in innovative formats and with fascinating new designs every year. Hobbyists research their history, build visually appealing sets, compete in registries, and study errors and interesting the varieties. Author Q. David Bowers, the "Dean of American Numismatics," has visited each of the U.S. Mint's currently operating facilities and has interviewed their experts. He has gathered market analysis from specialist in each series, and to this research he adds more than 60 years of in-depth study of all aspects of American coin design, production, and distribution. This definitive reference book includes a study of earlier silver dollars (1794-1935); an overview of the American scene from 1971 to date, setting the cons in their historical context; and full coin-by-coin studies of Eisenhower, Anthony, Sacagawea, Native American, and Presidential dollars. Bowers augments this study with a richly illustrated catalog of modern dollar errors and a gallery of "what might gave been"-proposed Native American dollar designs. The book's scholarly value is further strengthened by the author's notes, a selected bibliography, and a full index. Book jacket.