Building a Sacagawea & Native American Dollar Collection

In 2000, the U.S. Mint launched its second small-dollar series for circulation. The new coin paid tribute to Sacagawea, the Shoshone guide who led the Lewis & Clark Expedition through the northern territory of the Louisiana Purchase and then west to the Pacific Ocean. On this trek, she gave birth to a son. The Sacagawea dollar's obverse featured a three-quarter profile of the mother with her infant, a first for U.S. coinage, plus the year and mint mark. The reverse included a soaring eagle design surrounded by 17 stars for the number of states in the union at the time of the expedition. The edge was plain.

A historic coin...

The Sacagawea dollar was a historic coin. In addition to being America's second small-dollar coin series, it was the first "golden" dollar series issued by the U.S. Mint. It was also the first circulating U.S. coin to feature an actual Native American, and only the second circulating U.S. coin to feature a historical woman from U.S. history. However, while it was an instant hit with collectors, it did not see widespread use in daily commerce. So after just two years, it was minted in smaller quantities for collectors only.

In 2003, the Mint established the Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) to reinvigorate our country's coin and medal designs. External artists work with the Mint's staff, chief engraver and a medallic artist to create and submit new designs for approval. In most cases, the artist's initials appear on the final issues with those of the medallic artist who sculpted the design for production. This initiative laid the ground work for the Mint's next move.

Native American Dollars

In 2009, the U.S. Mint took the Sacagawea dollar series in a new direction. With the approval of Congress, it relaunched the series as the Native American $1 Coin Program. These new dollars retain the profile of Sacagawea and her baby remain on the obverse. However, they feature one-year-only reverse designs chosen from a competitive submission process. The selected design is struck for 10 weeks, with each annual reverse honoring a notable Native American person, achievement or a contribution to U.S. history.

Another difference between Sacagawea dollars and Native American dollars is edge lettering. When the new series was introduced, the decision was made to incuse, or sink, the date, mint mark and motto e pluribus unum into each Native American dollar coin's edge.

Native American dollars were initially intended for circulation. But like other small dollar coins, they failed to catch on in commerce and have been issued in smaller quantities for collectors since 2012. Nevertheless, they remain legal tender, and on rare occasions may show up as pocket change in circulating currency.