Book excerpt: Silver dollars, sometimes known as standards or cartwheels, have had a long and unsettled existence. Morgan silver dollars were minted continuously from 1878 to 1904, but in quantities that fluctuated wildly from year-to-year. Then they were minted again for a year in 1921. The history of the US silver dollar is intricately tied to specific acts of congress, changes in America's political climate, and the availability of silver throughout history. Add the various discrepancies between mints and dies and you've got a fascinating and complex numismatic story. This book is the most thorough and detailed reference to date on Morgan and Pearce silver dollars. Including innumerable die varieties and in-depth historical context, "The Comprehensive Catalogue and Encyclopedia of U.S. Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars" is the only silver-dollar reference book that fully explores the politics and culture surrounding the coins. There is a chapter devoted to detailing every legislative act of Congress that affected silver dollar coinage, and another dedicated to carefully describing the century-old silver-dollar minting process-from mining to striking. With descriptions and photos of over 800 Morgan die varieties and extensive discussions of error coins and the design process, this book is the only truly complete guide to Morgan and Peace silver dollars.