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From today's featured article The Lafayette dollar was an American silver coin issued to raise money for a statue of Lafayette, the French hero of the American Revolution. The statue was dedicated at the Paris World's Fair of 1900. President William McKinley chose Chicago businessman Ferdinand Peck as commissioner-general for the American exhibit at the Paris exposition, and Peck approved the monument for the exhibit. The coin was designed by the Mint's Chief Engraver, Charles E. Barber, and features conjoined busts of George Washington and Lafayette on the obverse. The images are based on a sculpture of Washington by Jean-Antoine Houdon and a medal of Lafayette by François-Augustin Caunois. The reverse depicts an early sketch of the planned monument. All the coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint on December 14, 1899, the centennial of Washington's death. They did not sell out, and 14,000 were later melted by the Treasury. The coins are valued from several hundred dollars to tens of thousands, depending on condition. The Lafayette dollar was the only U.S. silver dollar commemorative prior to 1983, and the first U.S. coin to depict an American citizen. (Full article...) Recently featured: Boroughitis St Denys' Church, Sleaford "The Post-Modern Prometheus" Did you know... The Kensingtons at Laventie ... that the artist Eric Kennington claimed to have walked 500 miles (800 km) while painting The Kensingtons at Laventie (pictured)? ... that Idelisa Bonnelly pushed for the first humpback whale sanctuary to be established and was inducted into the Global 500 Roll of Honour of UNEP for her defense of the environment? ... that UNESCO recently declared an emergency action plan to protect cultural sites in Yemen from destruction? ... that Bean Boots are still manufactured in Maine and are stitched by hand? ... that Shakib Al Hasan has the most five-wicket hauls for Bangladesh in international cricket? ... that the Circuit des Champs de Bataille, a stage race held across devastated northern France, Belgium and Luxembourg in spring 1919, has been described as the toughest cycle race in history? ... that a post in the Arizona Territory was not the first or even second choice of future Arizona Territorial Supreme Court justice Owen Thomas Rouse?

In the news Leon Smith At least 14 people are killed and 17 others injured in a shooting in San Bernardino, California. The International Monetary Fund approves adding the Chinese renminbi to its basket of reserve currencies. In tennis, the Davis Cup concludes with Great Britain (captain Leon Smith pictured) defeating Belgium in the final. In Canadian football, the Edmonton Eskimos defeat the Ottawa Redblacks to win the Grey Cup. A bomb attack on a bus kills 14 presidential security guards in Tunis, Tunisia. A Russian Su-24 warplane is shot down by a Turkish Air Force F-16 near the border between Turkey and Syria. Ongoing events: European migrant crisis Recent deaths: Joseph Engelberger On this day... December 3: International Day of People with Disability Laurel and Hardy in The Flying Deuces 1800 – War of the Second Coalition: French forces under General Jean Moreau defeated the Austrians and Bavarians under Archduke John in Hohenlinden, near Munich, forcing the Austrians to sign an armistice. 1834 – The German Customs Union instituted the first regular census in Germany. 1927 – Putting Pants on Philip, the first official film featuring the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy (pictured), was released. 1979 – Per the results of a two-day referendum, the current Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran was adopted. 2009 – A suicide bombing in Mogadishu, Somalia, claimed the lives of 25 people, including three ministers of the Transitional Federal Government. More anniversaries: December 2 December 3 December 4

Today's featured picture David Villa (b. 1981) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a striker and also serves as captain for American club New York City FC. Before transferring to the United States, Villa played for a number of Spanish teams, including FC Barcelona, with whom he won his first La Liga and UEFA Champions League titles, Valencia CF, and Atlético de Madrid, shown here after scoring a goal. As part of the Spanish national football team, Villa scored three goals at the 2006 World Cup, was the top scorer at Euro 2008, and earned the Silver Boot at the 2010 World Cup. Photograph: Carlos Delgado Recently featured: Gebang Brooms SMS Gefion

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