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Sacagawea dollar
United States
Value1 U.S. dollar
Mass8.100 g (0.26 troy oz)
Diameter26.5 mm (1.04 in)
Thickness2.00 mm (0.079 in)
EdgeLettered
CompositionCore: 100% Cu
Cladding: 88.5% Cu, 6% Zn, 3.5% Mn, 2% Ni
Years of minting2000–present
Mint marksP (Philadelphia)
D (Denver)
S (San Francisco)
Obverse
DesignSacagawea with her child, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau
DesignerGlenna Goodacre
Design date2000–present (modified in 2009)
Reverse
DesignHands clasping peace pipe
DesignerRichard Masters, engraved by Joseph Menna
Design date2011

The Sacagawea dollar is a currently minted United States dollar coin. The coin was first suggested as a replacement for the Susan B. Anthony dollar, which, while unpopular as a coin for every day commerce, proved useful for vending machine operators and mass transit systems. The Statue of Liberty was originally proposed as the design subject, but Sacagawea was eventually chosen. The coin was first minted in 2000, featuring an obverse by Glenna Goodacre and a reverse by Thomas D. Rogers. The new dollar coin was heavily marketed with an advertising campaign that consisted of a series advertisements as well Mint partnerships with Wal-Mart and Cheerios. Another plan by the United States Mint involved issuing the Sacagawea design in 22 karart gold, but this soon abandoned after it was discovered that the Mint lacked adequate authority to strike the coins. Soon after initial production of the dollar, it was discovered that some of the coins were struck with the obverse of a State quarter and the normal reverse. The Sacagawea dollar did not prove popular with the public, and mintage dropped sharply the second year of production. In 2009, the reverse of the Sacagawea began changing yearly, with each design in the series depicting a different Native American accomplishment.

Background

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Minnesota Senator Rod Grams

In the 1970s, following the lack of success of the Eisenhower dollar, it was decided that a smaller dollar coin might prove more useful to the public.[1] On September 26, 1978 Congress approved legislation providing for the mintage of a smaller dollar coin, to depict Susan B. Anthony, a prominent American suffragette.[1] The new dollars proved unpopular, due in large part to their similarity in size and identical composition to the quarter dollar.[1] Since there was little interest in the coin as a circulating medium, most were placed in United States Mint and Federal Reserve vaults throughout the country, and mintage ceased after 1981.[2]

By the late 1990s, the Treasury's supply of small dollar coins began to dwindle due their widespread use in vending machines (including more than 9,000 stamp machines situated in post offices across the United States) and mass transit turnstiles.[3] Beginning in 1997, several bills were introduced in Congress with the intent of resuming the mintage of the small-sized dollar coin in order to keep up with the new demand.[3] On March 20 of that year, Arizona Republican Representative Jim Kolbe introduced legislation calling for the mintage of more dollar coins. Four months later, on July 24, Democratic Representative Michael Castle of Delaware, a member of the House Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, also introduced legislation, this time calling for the Statue of Liberty to be the subject of the design.[3] On October 21, Minnesota Republican Rod Grams introduced a bill to the senate, also calling for the mintage of a newly designed dollar coin; this legislation eventually led to the act that ultimately authorized the dollar.[3] Also on October 21, in a hearing before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology, Treasury Department officials gave their support for a new dollar coin, recommending that it be gold-colored coin with a distinctive edge, in order to help distinguish it from the quarter dollar. During this hearing, Philip N. Diehl, then Director of the Mint, estimated that it would take thirty months to begin production on such a coin.[3]

A 1999 Susan B. Anthony dollar

The United States Senate approved the necessary legislation on November 9, 1997, and the House of Representatives did the same on November 13.[3] On December 1, 1997 President Bill Clinton signed the 50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act, which became Public Law 105–124.[4] The act provided for the striking of a new dollar coin, 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," while also giving authority to the Secretary of the Treasury to continue production of the Susan B. Anthony dollar until such time as production could begin on the new dollar coin.[4] In total, more than 41 million 1999 Susan B. Anthony dollars were struck.[2]

Design history

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Subject selection

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Delaware Representative Michael Castle

Though the United States $1 Coin Act of 1997 required a change in composition and edge, no recommendation was made as to what would be depicted on the coin.[4] In order to determine this, Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin appointed the nine member Dollar Coin Design Advisory Committee. Rubin, who had the authority to select the coin's design as Secretary of the Treasury,[5] specified that the coin should depict a representation of one or more women and cannot depict a living person.[6] The Committee was chaired in a non-voting capacity by Philip N. Diehl.[7] They convened in Philadelphia in June 1998, listening to seventeen concepts presented by members of the public along with numerous telephone, mail and e-mail suggestions submitted by the public.[7] On June 9, 1998, the committee recommended Shoshone guide Sacagawea.[7] Despite the committee's choice of Sacagawea, Castle advocated that the Statue of Liberty be depicted, as per his earlier legislation.[5] In a letter to the House of Representatives, Castle explained his objection, stating that the "goal in creating a new dollar coin is to make it more distinctive with a popular design that would encourage its wider use by the public."[5] Between November 18 and 22, 1998, the General Accounting Office conducted a poll on behalf of Castle.[8] The object of the poll was to determine which design the subject the public would fine more desirable.[8] In total, 65 percent preferred the Statue of Liberty, 27 percent preferred Sacagawea, two percent believed that either was acceptable, three percent said neither was acceptable and an additional three percent had no opinion.[8] Despite Castle's objection, Sacagawea was ultimately chosen as the subject of the coin.

Design selection

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After the subject was decided upon, it became necessary to choose a design. Invitations were sent to 23 artists with guidelines as to what their designs should depict. The obverse was to depict a representation of Sacagawea, and the reverse an eagle symbolic of peace and freedom.[5] Another guideline specified artists to "be sensitive to cultural authenticity, and try to avoid creating a representation of a classical European face in Native American headdress."[5] In November and December, 1998, members of the Native American community, teachers, numismatists, historians, members of Congress, various government officials and others were invited by the United States Mint to review designs proposed by the 23 artists.[7] The candidates were narrowed down to six obverse and seven reverse designs.[7] The possibilities were narrowed down further, to three obverse and four reverse designs after the Mint conducted a series of polls and focus groups with the public.[7] The mint also received input from historians, prominent Native Americans and approximately 90,000 e-mails in reference to the design selection process.[5] In response to the large amount of feedback generated, Diehl stated that the internet has "allowed us to conduct a public outreach program of unprecedented scope to measure opinions of the designs."[5] All seven of the selected designs were forwarded to the United States Commission of Fine Arts; the Commission chose an obverse design depicting Sacagawea with her infant son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, as designed by sculptor Glenna Goodacre. Goodacre chose Randy'L He-dow Teton to model for Sacagawea, for whom there are no known contemporary portraits, in order to help the artist capture the features of a young Native American woman.[5] The chosen reverse, designed by Mint sculptor–engraver Thomas D. Rogers, depicted a soaring eagle.[5]

Production and release

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After her obverse design was approved, Goodacre visited the Philadelphia Mint engraving department six times in order to finalize the designs.[5] Rogers' reverse design was also modified before production began. In his original proposal, mountainous scenery was depicted beneath the flying eagle; these were removed and the position of other reverse design features were altered before final approval was given by Rubin.[5] An alloy of copper, zinc, manganese and nickel cladding over a pure copper core was selected as the composition of the new coins.[2] The composition was selected because it would give the coin a distinctive golden color while being electromagnetically identical to its predecessor, the copper–nickel Susan B. Anthony dollar.[9] 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.[10] Because the coins were struck before 2000, it was not legal to release them during the first strike ceremonies.[10] Instead, the coins were saved and later sent to the dignitaries that struck the individual coins.[10] Full–scale production began shortly after the ceremonial strikings.[10]

For her work creating the obverse of the Sacagawea dollar, Goodacre receieved a $5,000 commission, and she requested that it be paid in dollar coins.[11] The coins given to Goodacre were struck on specially burnished blanks in order to give them a finish unique to that striking.[11] They were delivered to her personally by Diehl and other mint personnel on April 5, 2000.[11]

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 expirimental rinse that would inhibit the tarnishing, however the rinse was used only in that year.[10]

Marketing

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The act authorizing the dollar coin also provided for the Secretary of the Treasury to "adopt a program to promote the use of such coins by commercial enterprises, mass transit authorities, and Federal, State, and local government agencies."[4] The Mint's initial advertising campaign, consisting of an estimated 1,600 television, radio and print advertisements and partnerships with the national retail chain Wal-Mart and the General Mills company, cost approximately $41 million.[12] The televison 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.[12]

Beginning in January 2000, the Mint began sending dollar coins to Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores across the United States in order to help promote and circulate the coins.[13] In total, $100 million worth of the dollars were shipped to the stores as part of the promotion.[13] Some store owners criticized the Mint's partnership with Wal-Mart and Sam's Club as being unfair to smaller retailers.[13] In response, Diehl noted that "every retailer and commercial establishment has the right to carry the Golden Dollar. The Mint's agreement with Wal-Mart is designed to encourage all retailers and commercial businesses in the nation to use the new Golden Dollar in everyday transactions."[13]

Also during this time, the Mint began a partnership with the General Mills company, in which 10,000,000 boxes of Cheerios brand 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.[14] It was later discovered 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.[14] Approximately 5,500 of the coins were included in the boxes of cereal.[14]

Mule error

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In May 2000, an error coin coin bearing the obverse of a State quarter and the reverse of a Sacagawea dollar was discovered in a roll of coins purchased from a bank in Mountain Home, Arkansas.[15] The coin, known as a mule, was the first of ten discovered and authenticated.[15] Mint officials estimate that the coins were struck from late April to early May 2000.[15] Upon discovery, a bin containing several thousand of the coins was impounded and all the error coins within were melted.[15] The coins that were released were eventually tracked back to a wrapping facility near Philadelphia, where the coins were minted.[15] Employees at the facility were instructed to watch for any of the coins; those discovered were turned over to the Mint.[15] A subsequent government investigation into the incident found that the coins were struck accidentally, but two former Mint employees were guilty of selling the dollars, resulting in imprisonment and fines for both individuals.[15] In 2002, Mint officials announced that eight of the ten coins discovered may be seized due to their dubious origins; two coins were exempted as it was determined that they entered circulation through legal channels.[15] Despite the earlier announcements, no attempt has been made by the federal government to seize the remaining examples.[15] Eight of the ten coins, including the piece initially discovered in Arkansas, are owned by Tommy Bolack, a New Mexico rancher, museum owner and son of former New Mexico governor Tom Bolack.[15] Bolack purchased the coins through a series of auctions conducted throughout 2000 and 2001.[15] The other two are owned by two different individuals. One such coin was purchased by an unnamed collector and the other is owned by its discovere, a Missouri collector.[15]

Gold dollars

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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.[16] 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.[16] The plan was to sell gold versions of the coins to collectors.[16] On March 20, this plan was halted when the authority of Mint officials to strike the coins in gold was questioned by members of Congress.[16] Full–scale production of the coins never took place, despite the stance of the Mint that the authority to strike the coins was theirs, as they would be considered numismatic items.[16] Similar gold coins were also struck, this time bearing the denomination of one dollar and a "W" mint mark, signifying that the coins were struck at the West Point Mint.[17] 39 such coins were struck, twelve of which were found to be of adequate quality, while the rest were eventually destroyed.[16] Unlike those denominated at five dollars, the one dollar pieces were "struck to commemorate the historic flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia in July 1999," according to Former Mint Director Ed Moy.[17] The twelve surviving gold dollars were sent into space aboard Columbia on mission STS-93 in July 1999.[17] Following the return of the shuttle, the coins were placed in storage at Fort Knox, where they remained until 2007, when they were exhibited at the American Numismatic Association World's Fair of Money in Milwaukee, Wisconsion.[17] After the event, the coins were returned to Fort Knox, however the Mint is currently planning to loan the coins to various museums throughout the country.[16]

Native American redesign

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On September 20, 2007, Public Law 110–82, known as the Native American $1 Coin Act, was signed by president George W. Bush.[18] 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."[18] The act also called for the removal of the date from the obverse and "E PLURIBUS UNUM" from the reverse of the coin, opting instead to add them to the edge.[18] The program, set to last until 2016, requires that the reverse of the dollar depict a new design every year.[18] In order to determine which design to depict on the coins, officials from the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, the Native American Caucus and the National Congress of American Indians, the consulting organizations for the program, appoint a liaison to the United States Mint.[19] Between twelve and fifteen themes are selected after consultation with the National Museum of the American Indian and the Smithsonian Institution.[19] At this point, the consulting organizations supply the Mint with written comments regarding the themes.[19] The suggestions are then sent to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, where a theme is recommended.[19] After reviewing the recommendations and input from the contributing organizations, the selected theme is finalized, at which point designs are produced that represent the theme.[19] Once designs are created, the consulting organizations and the National Museum of the Native American are consulted, and the designs are sent to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee for approval. Based on all comments and recommendations received, the Mint selects a final design that is recommended to the Secretary of the Treasury for approval.[19]

Designs

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The first coin in the series, issued in 2009, was designed by Mint sculptor–engraver Norman E. Nemeth, the subject being the spread of Three Sisters Agriculture.[20] It depicts a Native American woman planting seeds in a field populated with corn, beans and squash.[20] Above the woman is the inscription "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA", and below is "$1".[20] The design selected for the 2010 reverse was designed by Artistic Infusion Program artist Thomas Cleveland and depicts the Hiawatha belt surrounding five stone–tipped arrows, along with the inscriptions "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA", "$1", "HAUDENOSAUNEE" and "GREAT LAW OF PEACE".[21] The subject of the design is the "Great Tree of Peace".[21] The reverse of the 2011 dollar depicts the hands of the Supreme Sachem Ousamequin and Plymouth Colony Governor John Carver holding a peace pipe, along with the inscriptions "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA", "$1", and "WAMPANOAG TREATY 1621".[22] The coin was designed by Artistic Infusion Program artist Richard Masters and sculpted by Mint sculptor–engraver Joseph Menna.[22] The design subject is treaties with tribal nations.[22]

2000–2008 reverse by Thomas D. Rogers
2009 reverse by Norman E. Nemeth
Edge lettering, 2009–present

Reception

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The coin received mixed reviews from the nation's senators. In an interview with Associated Press columnist Suzanne Gamboa, Republican Senator Phil Gramm of Texas described United States currency as "crummy."[23] Gramm, who was one of the senators that 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.[23] Despite his praise of the design, Gramm condemned the Mint's approach to marketing the coin, stating that if the United States were the "Franklin Mint, they would be sued for deceptive advertisement."[24] 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.[24] Texas Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison criticized both the Sacagawea design as well the coin's size in relation to the other coins in circulation at the time.[24] Hutchison noted that the new coin lacked the necessary heft to distinguish it from the lower–denominated coins and that it and other coins and currency then in production "looks like play money."[24] Senators Mike DeWine of Ohio and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, Republic and Democrat respectively, praised the design and the distinctiveness of the golden color.[24] The series proved unpopular in every day commerce.[3] Mintage dropped from 1,286,056,000 in 2000 to 133,407,500 the following year.[25] From 2002 through 2008, Sacagawea dollars were only struck for sale to collectors.[3] The Federal Reserve Bank ordered none of the Native American series after their issuance beginning in 2009.[3] In December 2009, it was noted by a Federal Reserve official that there were currently 857,000,000 dollar coins (including Presidential dollars) in government storage vaults; an amount estimated to satisfy the demand for twelve years.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Martin, Erik (2010). "Anthony Dollar Hits Wrong Chord With Collectors, Public". Coin World: 224–226. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ a b c Yeoman, R.S. (2010). A Guide Book of United States Coins (63rd ed.). Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, LLC. p. 226. ISBN 0794827675.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Roach, Steve (8 March 2010). "Wanted: New $1 Coins (As Long As They're Not Anthony Dollars)". Coin World: 22–24.
  4. ^ a b c d Public Law 105–124—Dec. 1, 1997. usmint.gov. Retrieved 2011-01-25
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Roach, Steve (8 March 2010). "Sacagawea Tops Statue of Liberty, Other Themes, for Design". Coin World: 76–79.
  6. ^ Treasury Establishes Dollar Coin Advisory Committee. usmint.gov. Retrieved 2011-01-25
  7. ^ a b c d e f The Historic Design Selection Process. usmint.gov. Retrieved 2011-01-25
  8. ^ a b c New Dollar Coin: Public Prefers Statue of Liberty Over Sacagawea. resource.org. Retrieved 2011-01-26
  9. ^ Sanders, Mitch (2006). "Modern Dollar Coins". The Numismatist: 114–115. {{cite journal}}: External link in |title= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  10. ^ a b c d e Gilkes, Paul (8 March 2010). "Expirimental Washes, Special Strikings Challenge to Collect". Coin World: 126–128, 179.
  11. ^ a b c Gilkes, Paul (8 March 2010). "Goodacre Receives Special Sac Dollars". Coin World: 130–131.
  12. ^ a b Martin, Erik (8 March 2010). "Circulation Promotion for Sacagawea $1 Takes Unusual Paths". Coin World: 119, 224.
  13. ^ a b c d Mirabella, Lorraine (8 February 2000). "Sacagawea Dollar a Hit at Wal-Mart". The Baltimore Sun. {{cite news}}: External link in |title= (help)
  14. ^ a b c Gilkes, Paul (8 March 2010). "Cereal Promotion Offers Collectors Welcome $1 Surprise". Coin World: 120–121.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Gilkes, Paul (8 March 2010). "Double-Denomination Mule Features Sacagawea $1 Reverse". Coin World: 132–133, 177.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g Gilkes, Paul (8 March 2010). "Special 2000–W Sacagawea Dollars Travel on Space Shuttle". Coin World: 122.
  17. ^ a b c d United States Mint Displays Never-Before-Seen Gold Space Coins in Milwaukee. usmint.gov. Retrieved 2011-01-28
  18. ^ a b c d Public Law 110–82—September 20, 2007. usmint.gov. Retrieved 2011-01-28
  19. ^ a b c d e f Reverse Candidate Theme and Design Evaluation and Selection Process for the Native American $1 Coin Program usmint.gov. Retrieved 2011-01-28
  20. ^ a b c 2009 Native American $1 usmint.gov. Retrieved 2011-01-28
  21. ^ a b 2010 Native American $1 Coin usmint.gov. Retrieved 2011-01-28
  22. ^ a b c 2011 Native American $1 Coin usmint.gov. Retrieved 2011-01-28
  23. ^ a b Gamboa, Suzanne (12 September 2000). "Sen. Gramm Says Currency 'Crummy,' Wants New Designs". The Spartanburg Herald-Journal. {{cite news}}: External link in |title= (help)
  24. ^ a b c d e "Lawmakers Blast New 'Gold' Dollar as Confusing". The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 24 February 2000. {{cite news}}: External link in |title= (help); Unknown parameter |name= ignored (help)
  25. ^ Yeoman, R.S. (2010). A Guide Book of United States Coins (63rd ed.). Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, LLC. p. 227. ISBN 0794827675.
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