monument.

And St. George's town crier, E. Michael Jones, told The Royal Gazette Sunday night that he will be replacing it and urged anyone in need to contact him personally.

The dollar coin was embedded in a bit of stone taken from Sir George Somers' original home in Britain. The dollar was laid next to a British fifty-pence coin and the stone cemented into rocks at Gates Fort in St. George's.

Sir George Somers, a Briton, was the captain of the ill-fated Sea Venture which wrecked on Bermuda's reefs, spilling the Island's first permanent settlers.

The small marker was placed at Gates Fort on January 1, 2000.

Mr. Jones said the theft took place in recent weeks and explained that the coin appeared to have been chiselled out of the rock.

"I feel it's a bit unfortunate that someone would do this,'' he said. "I plan to replace the dollar and if someone is so desperatee for it they can come and see me. I will give them one. But please do not remove the new dollar coin.''