If there is ever an overlooked coin, it is the Sacagawea Dollar. They do everything right with Sacagawea Dollars, but it still remains unpopular.
Brief History of Sacagawea Dollars
In 1997, Congress creates an act, the “United States $1 Coin Act of 1997”. With the act, the dollar will be golden colored with a distinctive edge and any other qualities that would make people know it is a dollar coin. Obviously, I think the idea behind golden color and edge comes from the success of the Canadian Dollar coin or “loonie”. So, Canadians begin to use the dollar coin in 1987, Within two years, the Canadian Dollar Bills no longer exist.
Though the act does speak of the composition and edge, it does not mention who or what will appear on the coin. A committee forms in 1998 and after receiving some submissions from the public, they decide on Sacagawea to be on the obverse. However, Representative Michael Castle of Delaware thinks it should be the Statue of Liberty instead of Sacagawea. He believes a more popular design will get the public to use it in circulation. A poll from November, 1998 shows 65% for the Statue of Liberty and 27% for Sacagawea. Even though the Statue of Liberty wins, Congress accepts Sacagawea.
Original Sacagawea Dollars
Three obverse and four reverse designs are selected. The winning design for the obverse is Sacagawea holding her son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. Sculptor Glenna Goodacre designs the obverse. She also designs the Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington, DC. She uses a Shoshone woman, Randy’L He-dow Teton, as a model for Sacagawea, who is also Shoshone. The reverse displays a soaring eagle with 17 stars by US Mint sculptor and engraver, Thomas Rogers.
In order to give the dollar its golden collar, its composition will be 77% copper, 12% zinc, 7% manganese and 4% nickel. 5,000 of the dollars have a special finish and are given to Glenna Goodacre. The edge of the coin is plain so it can be distinguished from a quarter.
“Godless” Dollars?
The first George Washington Dollars come out without the motto “In God We Trust”. Collectors call these “godless dollars”. The explanation for this is the Philadelphia Mint has a production error. Some say this is done intentionally, but is never proven.
Initial Mintage Of Sacagawea Dollars
The new dollar enters circulation in 2000. Philadelphia mints 767,140,000 and Denver mints 518,916,000. In order to promote them, dollars are circulated at stores like Walmart. General Mills also puts Sacagawea Dollars as prizes in some of their Cheerios cereal boxes.
Even with all the changes to this new dollar, the public won’t use it as the government hope. In 2001, only 133,000,000 come from Philadelphia and Denver combined. In 2002, they will only produce them for collectors. So the dollars between 2002 and 2008 are only in sets from the mint.
Native American Dollars
2007 sees the release of the “Native American $1 Coin Act”. This act moves the year, mint mark and “E PLURIBUS UNUM” to the edge. It also replaces the eagle on the reverse to an important act by a native individual or tribe in the United States. So, the first Native American Dollars are in circulation in 2009, but as they are not used, the dollar is removed from circulation again in 2012. The mint is still including them in mint and proof sets as of 2017.
The designs need approval by the following:
- Department of Treasury
- Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate
- Congressional Native American Caucus of the House of Representatives
- Commission of Fine Arts
- National Congress of American Indians
- Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee
Reverse Designs Since 2009
- 2009 – Spread of Three Sisters Agriculture by Norm Nemeth
- 2010 – Great Tree of Peace by Thomas Cleveland
- 2011 – Wampanoag Treaty of 1621 by Richard Masters
- 2012 – Trade Routes of the 17th Century by Thomas Cleveland
- 2013 – Treaty with the Delawares, 1778, first formal treaty between US and a Native American tribe by Susan Gamble
- 2014 – Native Americans with William Clark’s compass displaying NW, symbolizing Lewis and Clark’s expedition by Chris Costello
- 2015 – Mohawk Ironworkers who were involved with building New York City skyscrapers by Richard Masters
- 2016 – Code Talkers from World War I and II by Thomas Rogers
- 2017 – Sequoyah creates the Cherokee syllabary by Chris Costello
- 2018 – Jim Thorpe, American athlete and Olympic gold medalist by Michael Gaudioso
- 2019 – American Indians in the Space Program by Emily Damstra
- 2020 – Elizabeth Peratrovich – Anti-Discrimination Law Of 1945 by Phebe Hemphill
- 2021 – Native Americans – Distinguished Military Service Since 1775 by Donna Weaver
- 2022 – Native Americans – Ely S. Parker by Paul Balan
- 2023 – Maria Tallchief and American Indians in Ballet by Benjamin Sowards
- 2024 – Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 by Phebe Hemphill
It may be unpopular to the public, but it’s not going away soon
So far, the Sacagawea or Native American Dollar will be out there at least through 2024, just not to the public. You can still get them through mint sets or at a coin store or show. It seems like a good modern collection to do. Would you consider collecting Sacagawea Dollars?