Book excerpt: This biography of James Crawford, the fourth Superintendent of the Carson City Mint (1874-1885), traces his life from his birth in Kentucky; to his formative years in Illinois; to his prospecting years in California's Gold Rush Country; to his early years in Nevada's Lyon County; culminating in his tenure at the Carson City Mint. The book provides a panoramic view of the sweeping history of Nevada's connection to California's Gold Rush era; with an in-depth look into life in the Silver State's northwestern region from 1863 to 1885. Filled with never-before-presented facts about James Crawford and the Carson City Mint, this 650-page book is linked with stories about some of Nevada's most prominent historical figures and many contemporary events occurring in the United States as well as hundreds of references to coins struck at the Carson City Mint.