Coin collectors jump at the opportunity to collect all types of coins, whether from shops, fellow collectors, or through internet auctions. For coin collectors worldwide, the Sacagawea dollar coin is an especially remarkable find. This coin carries a rich historical significance along with its rare status.
Most coin collectors savor the opportunity to examine rare Sacagawea coins, introduced in the year 2000, given their intricate portraiture and connections to U.S. history. Namely, these coins immortalize the memory of Sacagawea, a member of the Shoshone Nation and a key guide during Lewis and Clark’s 1804–06 expedition. Keep reading for more information about rare Sacagawea coins, from their important history to their powerful presence in the world of coin collecting.
Proof Graded Sacagawea $1 Coins. Sold for $45USD via Saco River Auction (July 2023)
Sacagawea Golden Dollar. Sold for $43 USD via Compass Auctions & Real Estate, LLC (March 2019).
Sacagawea’s Memory and Role in American History
In examining the properties of rare Sacagawea dollar coins, it’s critical to understand the significance of Sacagawea herself as a historical figure. In Western history, Sacagawea is associated with Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery Expedition. The explorers’ mission was to see as much of the new territory that the U.S. gained during the Louisiana Purchase as possible. They would not have found nearly as much success without Sacagawea’s extensive knowledge of North American terrain.
As the Corps traveled more than 8,000 miles, Sacagawea helped them navigate countless natural obstacles, such as the Rocky Mountains where she grew up. She also served as the Corps of Discovery’s interpreter, which helped the crew garner trust with the Native communities that they encountered along the way. All the while, she carried her newborn son, Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau (often known simply as “Baptiste”), on her back.
Some believe that the Sacagawea dollar coin might suggest a literal and metaphorical tokenization of Native American history. After all, the struggles of Native people have often been erased from the modern cultural narrative. While these concerns are valid, the Sacagawea dollar also symbolizes her strength as an explorer, intellectual, and mother. Understanding the history behind the coin, rather than simply taking it at face value, is one of many ways to honor Sacagawea’s memory.
The Sacagawea Dollar Coin: Background and Appearance
First minted shortly before the 200th anniversary of the Corps of Discovery Expedition, the Sacagawea dollar coin was not popular among American citizens. However, while the general public voiced its preference for the Statue of Liberty, elected officials selected Sacagawea as the face of this dollar coin. This choice bolstered Sacagawea’s recognition in modern Western society, as she was often misrepresented in the 20th century.
The face of the coin depicts Sacagawea carrying Baptiste on her back, further underscoring that she was both an explorer and a mother. Because Sacagawea died in 1812, the portrait, designed by American sculptor Glenna Goodacre, is a likeness of Randy’L He-dow Teton. Goodacre chose Teton, of the Shoshone-Bannock/Cree tribe from Southeastern Idaho, herself. The back side of the rare Sacagawea coin features an eagle with its wings spread.
Rare Sacagawea Coins: Rarity and Collecting Value
In many respects, the Sacagawea dollar is a rare coin. The fact that it features a woman, alone, makes it one of very few such coins in the United States. However, the Sacagawea dollar coin is also rare because of its scarcity. Only 71 billion Sacagawea coins have been minted, and this is far fewer than other coins.
2000-P Cheerios Sacagawea Dollar Coins
Sacagawea “Cheerios” Dollar. Sold for $4,000 USD via Compass Auctions & Real Estate, LLC (March 2018).
Some Sacagawea coins are rarer than others. For example, only 5,500 2000-P Cheerios Sacagawea dollar coins — collaborations between Cheerios (yes, the breakfast cereal) and the U.S. Mint — were ever minted. These coins were included in select boxes of Cheerios cereal. With their pristine condition and intricate detailing on the eagle’s tail feathers, they’re a treat to examine under a magnifying glass. Furthermore, very few of these coins have actually been found.
Sacagawea Dollar’s Wounded Eagle Variant
Sacagawea Dollar Wounded Eagle (Mint Error). Sold for $500 USD via Big Dog Auctions (Feb 2021).
Similarly, the Sacagawea dollar’s wounded eagle variant, featuring a spear piercing the eagle on the coin’s tail side, is worth more because of its rarity. In fact, only 100 of these coins, issued in 2000, are believed to exist.
The high value of these coins spurred later, similarly rare variations. One example is the 2009 Native American dollar coin, which the U.S. Mint created to honor other impactful Native historical figures. The U.S. Mint intended these coins to serve as collectibles but has allowed them to be used as currency.
Rare Sacagawea Coins: Factors Influencing Value
Below are some factors that can directly impact the value of rare Sacagawea coins.
1. Scarcity and Demand
As with most collector’s items, the rarer a Sacagawea dollar coin, the more coveted it becomes. For example, there are years in which Sacagawea coins were never circulated and others when the U.S. Mint only circulated them as collector’s items. Because of their scarcity and consequently higher demand, the rarest of these coins can be worth up to six figures. However, even the most well-circulated ones are relatively rare and thus worth slightly more than their $1.00 face value — at least $1.05.
2. Condition
Since the Sacagawea dollar coin stopped being minted in 2008, many of the coins show obvious signs of age. As such, when a Sacagawea dollar coin is in good condition, it is usually worth more. For example, part of the allure of the Cheerios Sacagawea dollar was that all coins included in Cheerios boxes were freshly minted. This certainly contributed to the coin’s high value.
3. Minting Errors
The following are some common coin minting errors, all of which increase the rarity and value of Sacagawea coins.
- Double dies. These occur when the steel stamp (die) at the mint strikes the coin twice, resulting in a doubled effect for images and lettering.
- Misplaced dates. On some coins, there is no date. This rare error often increases the coin’s value.
- Edge lettering. This error occurs when the coin’s date and mint mark are printed on the edge of the coin instead of its face. It has only ever been found on one Sacagawea coin and is thus especially valuable — edge lettering typically exists on presidential dollars. In July 2012, this ultra-rare coin sold at a GreatCollections auction for $17,161.10.
- Mules. These coins feature designs that aren’t typically paired together. Mules are especially valuable because they’re the result of human error rather than machine error.
3 Notable Sacagawea Coin Auctions
Examining the excitement — and bidding wars — behind historic Sacagawea coin auctions provides further insight into their high value. Below is a list of some of the most notable rare Sacagawea coin auctions.
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2000 Lincoln Cent Struck on a Sacagawea Dollar
You don’t need a magnifying glass to see the error on this rare Sacagawea coin. It notably features an imprint of the Lincoln cent — a traditional penny — on both its head and tail sides. The result is a coin that appears almost multi-layered, as if a penny was buried within the Sacagawea dollar.
While the Sacagawea coin’s date is covered by this error, experts have confirmed that the coin was minted in the year 2000. Today, only two coins are known to feature this error. One sold via Heritage Auctions, for more than $35,000 in July 2015. The other sold for $32,000 in June 2020 via Stack’s Bowers Galleries.
2000 Lincoln Cent – Overstruck on a 2000-Dated Sacagawea Dollar (Mint Error). Sold for $32,000 USD via Stack’s Bowers Galleries (June 2020).
2. 2014-D Sacagawea Dollar and Presidential Dollar Mule
On one side of this rare Sacagawea coin, Sacagawea’s face is as clear as ever. However, flipping over the coin reveals an image of the Statue of Liberty — the stamp of the presidential dollar. This coin, also notably the only one of its kind, was simply found in a bag of change at a bank. In April 2021, it sold at auction, via Heritage Auctions, for $84,000.
3. 2000-P Sacagawea Dollar and Statehood Quarter Mule
This 2000 mule features Washington’s head on one side and the Sacagawea coin’s eagle on the other. Just like a standard Sacagawea dollar, this mule is gold in color. However, unlike the other extremely rare coins on this list, 18 versions of this coin have been found to date. Despite not being entirely unique, Heritage Auctions sold one in May 2022 for $144,000.
The Sacagawea Dollar Coin: Her Legacy Endures
Sacagawea dollars are more than simply valuable coins — they also hold a rich history and honor Sacagawea’s labor and sacrifices. Exploring the Sacagawea dollar coin can help rectify the problematic narratives surrounding Sacagawea and Native people in general.
Sacagawea coins also illustrate the idea that coin collecting is about more than finding a rare item. The study of American coinage is a gateway into the country’s past, including both its triumphs and challenges. Through Sacagawea coins and other rare currency, anyone can get a fuller picture of America’s complicated history.
