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Today's featured article The Peace dollar is a United States dollar coin minted from 1921 to 1928, and again in 1934 and 1935. Designed by Anthony de Francisci, the coin resulted from a competition seeking designs emblematic of peace, and its reverse depicts an eagle at rest clutching an olive branch, with the legend "PEACE". It was the last United States silver dollar to be struck for circulation. With the passage of the Pittman Act in 1918, the United States Mint was required to strike millions of silver dollars, and began doing so in 1921 using the Morgan dollar design. Numismatists began urging the Mint to issue a coin evoking peace; although they failed to get Congress to pass a bill requiring the redesign, they were able to persuade government officials to take action. The Peace dollar was approved in December 1921, completing the redesign of United States coinage which had begun in 1907. The public believed the announced design, which included a broken sword, was illustrative of defeat, and the Mint hastily acted to remove the sword from the design. The Peace dollar was first struck on December 28, 1921; just over a million were coined bearing a 1921 date. When the Pittman Act requirements were met in 1928, the Mint ceased to strike the dollars. (more...) Recently featured: Knowle West, Bristol – 1689 Boston revolt – Red-capped Robin Did you know... From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that the Grand Palace (pictured) in Bangkok was once the home of the kings of the Chakri Dynasty and several thousand other inhabitants? ... that Florida state legislator C. A. Roberts was named to the first Board of Union County Commissioners at the age of 18? ... that the murder of Sadia Sheikh has been called Belgium's first honour killing trial? ... that Russian-born pianist Alexander Zakin performed with violinist Isaac Stern for 37 years and played the piano at the White House under Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson? ... that the term sex and/or gender diverse is beginning to be used in Australia to replace transgender? ... that upon being asked whether he would like to join the Canadian Senate by Warren Allmand in 1977, Inuit politician Willie Adams responded, "What's the Senate?"?

In the news Multiple bombings occur in Nigeria, killing at least 39 people. Two coordinated bombings kill at least 44 people in Damascus, Syria. A series of coordinated bombings in Baghdad kills at least 65 people. Soyuz TMA-03M, launched from Baikonur, carries a crew of three men (pictured) to the International Space Station. Russia's largest stock exchanges, MICEX and RTS, merge to form MICEX-RTS. North Korea announces the death of Supreme Leader Kim Jong-il. On this day... December 28: Hanukkah ends at sunset (Judaism, 2011); Day of the Holy Innocents (Western Christianity) 893 – An earthquake destroyed the city of Dvin, Armenia, causing about 30,000 casualties. 1907 – The last confirmed sighting of the extinct Huia took place in the Tararua Ranges, North Island, New Zealand. 1912 – The San Francisco Municipal Railway, operator of the city's famed cable car system (streetcar pictured), opened its first line. 1918 – Irishwoman Constance Markievicz became the first female Member of Parliament elected to the British House of Commons, although she never served. 1989 – In one of Australia's most serious natural disasters, a 5.6 ML earthquake struck Newcastle, New South Wales, killing 13 people and injuring more than 160 others, and causing an estimated AU$4 billion in damages. 2008 – War in Somalia: Troops of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government along with their Ethiopian allies captured Mogadishu unopposed. More anniversaries: December 27 – December 28 – December 29 It is now December 28, 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture The marbled rock crab (Pachygrapsus marmoratus) is native to the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and parts of the Atlantic Ocean. It is dark violet brown, with yellow marbling, and with a body up to 36 millimetres (1.4 in) long. It is an omnivore, feeding on algae and various animals including mussels and limpets. Photo: George Chernilevsky Recently featured: Travelers on the California Trail – Tasmanian Pademelon – Picos de Europa

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