This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1899 Excerpt: ..."Y" of Liberty. On the reverse, or tail, is an eagle, bearing on his breast a broad shield and in his beak a scroll, on which is inscribed "E Pluribus Unum." In the right talon are twelve arrows and in the left a branch of olive. Above these in an arch are clouds extending from wing to wing and in the fields beneath, thirteen stars. Around the top is the inscription "United States of America" and on the edge "One Hundred Cents, One Dollar or Unit." The latter inscription is lightly struck in some parts. In official circles the reason given for the scarcity of the piece is that the entire output was sent to China and that the vessel carrying the cargo was wrecked and never again heard of. This explanation, however, is not credited by expert numismatists, who ridicule it as a story without foundation. There have been many theories advanced for the mysterious disappearance of these pieces, but none of them can be verified, and those best informed on the subject are at a loss to understand what disposition was made of them. There is no way of proving even that any were coined in that year, and the opinions given can, therefore, only be based on speculation. The dies were made, but perhaps never used, as Uncle Sam's money factories only coin on a special order. If there was a sufficient number of dollars in circulation in 1804, it is possible that none were made bearing that date, but this argument also is problematical. In truth, there is so little information to be had that the oldest collectors in the country can offer no opinion to solve the mystery. A peculiar fact in connection with this great rarity is that most experts agree that the pieces in existence today, with a possible exception, are "restrikes," h...