Sacagawea dollar

The Sacagawea dollar (also known as the "golden dollar") is a United States dollar coin introduced in 2000, but subsequently minted only for niche circulation from 2002 onward. The coin generally failed to meet consumer and business demands but it is still generally accepted in circulation.

These coins have a copper core clad by manganese brass, giving them a distinctive golden color. The coin features an obverse designed by Glenna Goodacre of Sacagawea, the Shoshone guide of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, carrying her child. From 2000 to 2008, the reverse featured an eagle design by Thomas D. Rogers. Since 2009, the reverse of the Sacagawea dollar has been changed yearly, with each design in the series depicting a different aspect of Native American cultures. These coins are marketed as "Native American dollars".

The coin was introduced as a replacement for the Susan B. Anthony dollar, which proved useful for vending machine operators and mass transit systems despite being unpopular with the public. The Statue of Liberty was originally proposed as the design subject, but Sacagawea was eventually chosen.

The new dollar coin was heavily marketed by the Mint in a series of print, radio, and television advertisements, as well as Mint partnerships with Walmart and Cheerios. However, the Sacagawea dollar did not prove popular with the public, and mintage dropped sharply in the second year of production. Production of Sacagawea dollars continued, from 2007 to 2016, in parallel with the U.S. Presidential dollars. In 2012, mintage numbers were reduced by over 90%, in line with a similar reduction for the even less popular Presidential Dollars, because of large stockpiles of unused coins from that series.

The Mint planned to issue the Sacagawea design in 22-karat gold as well, but this idea was quickly abandoned after the Mint's authority to strike the coins was questioned, and the Mint has retained ownership of the few such coins produced. Soon after initial production of the dollar, it was noticed that a few of the dollar coins were erroneously struck with the obverse of a state quarter and the normal reverse. These coins, 2000 Sacagawea dollar – Washington quarter mules, are a rare example of a genuine accidental mule coin produced by the US Mint.

Background

Because of the limited circulation of the cumbersome Eisenhower dollar, it was decided in 1977 that a smaller dollar coin might see improved circulation and prove more useful to the public. On September 26, 1978, Congress approved legislation to provide for a smaller dollar coin to be minted, which would depict Susan B. Anthony, a prominent American suffragette.

thumb|left|upright|U.S. Senator Rod Grams (R-MN), who introduced legislation in the Senate for a new dollar coin.

Despite their initial lack of popularity, by the mid-1990s the Treasury's supply of Anthony dollars began to dwindle due to their widespread use in vending machines (including more than 9,000 stamp machines situated in post offices across the United States) and increasing usage in mass transit systems throughout the country. Beginning in 1997, several bills were introduced to Congress with the intent of resuming mintage of small-sized dollar coins to keep up with demand. Section four of the act, which is entitled "United States $1 Coin Act of 1997", provided for a new dollar coin to be struck, stating in part: "The dollar coin shall be golden in color, have a distinctive edge, have tactile and visual features that make the denomination of the coin readily discernible". specified that the coin should depict a representation of one or more women and could not depict a living person. The committee was chaired by Philip N. Diehl, a role that did not include a vote on the designs. They met in Philadelphia in June 1998, listening to seventeen concepts submitted by members of the public, and reviewing many more suggestions received by telephone, mail and email. The object of the poll was to determine which design the public would find more desirable. The chosen reverse, designed by Mint sculptor-engraver Thomas D. Rogers, depicted a soaring eagle. The act specified in part that the one dollar coin shall depict "images celebrating the important contributions made by Indian tribes and individual Native Americans to the development of the United States and the history of the United States." Between twelve and fifteen themes are selected after consultation with the National Museum of the American Indian and the Smithsonian Institution. It depicts a Native American woman planting seeds in a field populated with corn, beans and squash. The subject of the design is the "Great Tree of Peace". The coin was designed by Artistic Infusion Program artist Richard Masters and engraved by Mint sculptor–engraver Joseph Menna. This reverse design was created by Thomas Cleveland as part of the Artistic Infusion Program and engraved by Mint sculptor–engraver Phebe Hemphill.

The 2013 dollar commemorates the Treaty with the Lenape in 1778, the first formal treaty between the United States and a Native American tribe. The coin depicts a turkey, a howling wolf, and a turtle—symbols of the Lenape. Its design was created by Susan Gamble as part of the Artistic Infusion Program, and engraved by Phebe Hemphill.

The 2014 dollar depicts a Native American man clasping a ceremonial pipe while his wife holds a plate of provisions, including fish, corn, roots and gourds. In the background is the stylized image of the face of William Clark's compass, displaying "NW" for "northwest." It bears the inscriptions "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "$1", as required by law.

The reverse design of the 2015 dollar depicts Mohawk ironworkers. According to the U.S. Mint, the coin commemorates Kahnawake and Akwesasne Mohawk ironworkers who contributed to the building of New York City skyscrapers. The inscriptions on the reverse read "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA", "$1" and "MOHAWK IRONWORKERS."

The reverse design selected for use on the 2016 coin, according to an August 29, 2014, U.S. Mint press release, commemorates Code talkers from World Wars I and II.

For 2018, the reverse design, also selected by the CCAC, depicts Jim Thorpe and was sculpted by Michael Gaudioso.

The 2019 dollar's theme is "American Indians in the space program", depicting Mary G. Ross and John Herrington. It was designed by Emily Damstra and sculpted by Joseph Menna.

The 2020 dollar design commemorates the 75th anniversary of Alaska's Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945 and features the image of Alaskan civil rights advocate and member of the Tlingit Nation Elizabeth Peratrovich. The designer was Phebe Hemphill.

In March 2018, the CCAC recommended design themes through 2024.

The 2021 dollar's theme is American Indians in the U.S. military service from 1775 to the present. Designed by Donna Weaver and sculpted by Joseph Menna, it features two eagle feathers and five stars for the five branches of the U.S. military.

The 2022 dollar's reverse depicts Ely Samuel Parker.

The 2023 dollar's reverse was announced in 2018 as set to honor Charles Alexander Eastman but the actual 2023 coin as issued features the prima ballerina Maria Tallchief and the Five Moons.

The 2024 dollar's reverse commemorated the 100th anniversary of Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 (also known as the Snyder Act).

The 2025 coin honored Mary Kawena Pukui.

The 2026 coin honored the Oneidas who supported the Continental Army at Valley Forge during the American Revolutionary War, and it depicts Polly Cooper.

File:2003 Sacagawea Rev.png|2000–2008 reverse by Thomas D. Rogers

File:2009NativeAmericanRev.jpg|alt=2009 reverse by Norman E.|2009 reverse by Norman Nemeth honors the spread of Three Sisters Agriculture

|2011 reverse,|2012 reverse,|2013 reverse, designed by Susan Gamble and engraved by Phebe Hemphill, remembers the 1778 Treaty with the Delawares

|2014 reverse,|2017 reverse, designed by Chris Costello and engraved by Charles L. Vickers, depicts Sequoyah

File:2018 Native American Dollar Reverse.jpg|2018 reverse by Michael Gaudioso featuring Jim Thorpe

|2019 reverse, designed by Emily Damstra and sculpted by Joseph Menna depicts Mary G. Ross and John Herrington

File:2020 Native American Dollar Reverse.jpeg|2020 reverse, designed by Phebe Hemphill featuring Elizabeth Peratrovich

|2021 reverse, designed by Donna Weaver and sculpted by Joseph Menna depicts Native American military service

File:2023 Native American Dollar Reverse.jpg|2023 reverse, featuring Maria Tallchief and the Five Moons

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frame|center|Edge lettering, 2009–present ✭ ✭ ✭ E PLURIBUS UNUM ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ (date) (mint mark)

Production and release

After her obverse design was approved, Goodacre visited the Philadelphia Mint engraving department six times in order to finalize the designs. Ultimately, the composition selected for the new coin included a cladding of manganese brass (containing about 77% copper, 12% zinc, 7% manganese, and 4% nickel) over a pure copper core. The first official striking of the Sacagawea dollar took place on November 18, 1999, during a ceremony in which dignitaries and other invited guests each struck individual examples of the coins. Because the coins were struck before 2000, it was not legal to release them during the first strike ceremonies. The 2000-P dollars paid to Goodacre were struck on specially burnished blanks to give them a finish unique to that striking. Soon after release of the new coins, it was discovered that they tarnished quickly once in circulation. In April 2001 the Mint began testing an experimental rinse that would inhibit the tarnishing; however, the rinse was used only in that year. The television ads consisted of the head of George Washington superimposed upon a body, voiced by actor Michael Keaton, discussing the merits of the new dollar coin. In total, $100 million worth of the dollars were shipped to the stores as part of the promotion. However, the shipment of coins did not arrive there in time, and Wal-Mart began giving out Sacagawea dollars in change that same afternoon.

During this time, the Mint began a partnership with the General Mills company, in which 10,000,000 boxes of Cheerios cereal would contain a 2000-dated Lincoln cent as a prize, one in every 2,000 boxes would contain a new Sacagawea dollar and one in every 4,400 would hold a certificate redeemable for 100 Sacagawea dollars. It was later discovered, and confirmed in 2005, that the dollars included in every 2,000 boxes were in fact early strikes, differing from those ultimately issued for circulation by the number of tail feathers on the eagle. Later analysis also showed that an unknown number of them had the normal "Reverse of 2000" rather than what collectors called the enhanced tail feathers "Reverse of 1999". Thus the fact that a coin came from the cereal box does not guarantee that it is the rare variety.

Gold dollars

thumb|right|The crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia for STS-93, the mission during which twelve gold Sacagawea dollars were sent into space

In 1999, the Mint struck a number of Sacagawea dollars in .9167 fine (22-karat) gold. During the initial production of the coins, they were denominated at five dollars in order to help the public distinguish them from their circulating counterparts. In total, 39 such coins were struck, twelve of which were found to be of adequate quality, while the rest were eventually destroyed. At the same time, to celebrate the coin's 25th anniversary, a 24-karat gold version was struck at the West Point Mint. The coin was released on July 31, and the entire mintage of 7,500 sold out soon after.

Mule error

In May 2000, an error coin bearing the George Washington obverse design of a U.S. state quarter and the eagle reverse of a Sacagawea dollar was discovered in a roll of dollar coins purchased from a bank in Mountain Home, Arkansas. The undated coin, known as a double-denomination mule, was the first of eleven discovered and authenticated. Of the other three documented mules, one is owned by its discoverer, a Missouri collector, Gramm, who was one of the senators who voted for the bill containing the legislation that authorized it, praised the design of the Sacagawea dollar as being an improvement over the other coin designs then in production. He also noted his belief that the Mint had repeated the earlier mistakes of the Susan B. Anthony dollar by issuing a coin that was tailored to the requests of the vending machine industry rather than the average consumer. From 2002 through 2008, Sacagawea dollars were only struck for sale to collectors. allowing them to earn frequent flyer miles in the process. The Mint subsequently restricted sales to large purchasers later in 2009, and ended credit card sales completely in July 2011.

In 2009, with the introduction of the Native American reverse designs, the coins were re-introduced to circulation; however, they again proved unpopular in commerce and following the 2011 issue, treasury secretary Timothy F. Geithner announced that all future dollar coin production would be for numismatic (collecting) purposes only.

Despite their unpopularity in the United States, the coins are popular for commerce in El Salvador and Ecuador, nations that use the United States dollar.

Mintage figures

{| class="sortable wikitable"

! Year

! Philadelphia mintage

! Denver mintage || align=right | 37,380,000 || align=right | 33,880,000 || align=right | 2,179,867 || align=right | 73,439,867

| align=center | 2010 || align=right | 32,060,000 || align=right | 48,720,000 || align=right | 1,689,216 || align=right | 82,469,216

| align=center | 2011 || align=right | 29,400,000 || align=right | 48,160,000 || align=right | 1,673,010 || align=right | 79,233,010

| align=center | 2012 || align=right | 2,800,000 || align=right | 3,080,000 || align=right | 1,189,445 || align=right | 7,069,445

| align=center | 2013 || align=right | 1,820,000 || align=right | 1,820,000 || align=right | 802,460 || align=right | 4,442,460

| align=center | 2014 || align=right | 3,080,000|| align=right | 5,600,000|| align=right | 1,144,190 || align=right |9,345,100

| align=center | 2015 || align=right | 2,800,000|| align=right | 2,240,000|| align=right | 1,050,166 || align=right | 6,090,166

| align=center | 2016 || align=right | 2,100,000|| align=right | 2,800,000 || align=right | 3,848,460

| align=center | 2018 || align=right | 1,400,000|| align=right | 1,400,000|| align=right | 1,540,000 || align=right | 3,952,931

| align=center | 2020 || align=right | 1,400,000 || align=right | 464,658 || align=right | 3,124,658

| align=center | 2021 || align=right | 1,260,000 || align=right | 512,664 || align=right | 3,032,664

| align=center | 2022 || align=right | 980,000 || align=right | 399,950 || align=right | 2,359,950

Special finish sets

Besides the annual proof and uncirculated sets, Sacagawea dollars with special finishes have also been inserted into several mint packages. These include the following:

{| class="wikitable"

! Year and Mint

! Product

! Mintage

| align=center | 2000-D || Millennium Coinage & Currency Set with special Burnished finish || align=right | 75,000

| align=center | 2014-D || Coin and Currency Set with Enhanced Uncirculated finish || align=right | 50,000

| align=center | 2015-W || Coin and Currency Set with Enhanced Uncirculated finish || align=right | 90,000

| align=center | 2016-S || Coin and Currency Set with Enhanced Uncirculated finish || align=right | 75,000

| align=center | 2017-S || Enhanced Uncirculated Mint set || align=right | 225,000

| align=center | 2019-P || Coin and Currency Set with Enhanced Uncirculated finish || align=right | 50,000

References

External links

United States Small Size Dollar Coins, 1979–present
Sébastien Lotz and Guillaume Rocheteau, The Fate of One-Dollar Coins in the U.S. (2004)