The Sacagawea Coin

Currently, the United States has two dollar coins, the Sacagawea and the Presidential Dollar series. This dollar coin was minted in the year 2000. The American Indian woman in the coin is Sacagawea, a Shoshone woman that accompanied Lewis and Clark in their expedition between 1804 and 1806 in the Western United States. The baby she is carrying is her son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. There are no images as to what this woman looked liked, so the artist of the coin, Glenna Goodacre, used a model named Randy’L He-dow Teton. The model was a 22 year old Shoshone woman, although Sacagawea must have been 15 years old at the time. The designer of the reverse side of the coin is Thomas D. Rogers (from 2000-2008).

The original design called for lady Liberty to be of Native American likeness, and was a favorite of committee members, however, this design soon became less popular as during the design competition the most appropriate design focused on the story of the Shoshone woman, Sacagawea.

Not much is known about the woman, but her assistance during the expedition, as a translator and guide. Although her husband – Toussaint Charbonneau, a fur trader – was part of the expedition, he is not mentioned as much as her. Her image is a blend of myth and history. The little that we know is due to Lewis and Clark journals. But she seems to have been a key person on this expedition.

The coin is made of copper and has a manganese/brass clad on the outside. This gives it a golden patina, which tarnishes in circulation, because of the brass metal. Some like this patina because it gives the coin an older look which helps in accenting the image of Sacagawea and her son. Others totally dislike the blackening of the coin. It is a matter of preference. This dollar coin offers a beautiful design as well as a very interesting story of the woman depicted in it.