In the 1880s, China refused to accept any foreign silver coins except old-style Mexican pesos. In response, the United States Treasury Department authorized the nation’s first-ever Trade Dollar. First issued in 1873, this silver coin was 1.8 percent heavier than regular U.S. silver dollars and finally gave American importers something that equaled the Mexican peso. Legal tender until 1876, thereafter it was only coined for trade purposes. Now you can get one of these fascinating pieces of American history. Each is a unique pre-1900 U.S. silver dollar that is extremely popular with collectors looking for something from the 19th century as we head deeper into the 21st century.

The obverse features the figure of Liberty, facing left, is seated on a bale of cotton with her right hand holding an olive sprig toward the open sea. To her back stands a sheaf of wheat, and in her left hand she holds a scroll inscribed with the word LIBERTY. She is encompassed by 13 stars representing the 13 original colonies. The coin’s reverse shows an eagle with inverted wings. It holds three arrows in its right talon and an olive branch in its left. Below the eagle is the weight, fineness and denomination: 420 GRAINS, .900 FINE and TRADE DOLLAR.