Index: date_api.module
===================================================================
--- date_api.module	(revision 17)
+++ date_api.module	(working copy)
@@ -2458,8 +2458,13 @@
   // If there is a current value, stretch the range to include it.
   $value_year = is_object($date) ? date_format($date, 'Y') : '';
   if (!empty($value_year)) {
-    $min_year = min($value_year, $min_year);
-    $max_year = max($value_year, $max_year);
+    if ($min_year <= $max_year) {    //range is from lowest to highest
+      $min_year = min($value_year, $min_year);
+      $max_year = max($value_year, $max_year);
+    } else {                        //range is from highest to lowest
+      $min_year = max($value_year, $min_year);
+      $max_year = min($value_year, $max_year);
+    }
   }
   return array($min_year, $max_year);
 }