Sacagawea Dollar 25th Anniversary Marked by New Gold Coin

by Charles Morgan for CoinWeek…

The United States Mint has marked the 25th anniversary of the Sacagawea Dollar’s release by completing a long-delayed mission. The story began in June 1999, when the Philadelphia Mint struck 39 22-karat gold versions of the coin (though they bore the West Point Mint’s “W” mintmark). Twelve of the best examples were flown into low Earth orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on July 23 of that year.

The Mint’s initial plan was to distribute these twelve “space” coins to museums across the country and to produce numismatic versions of the new “golden dollar” at the West Point Mint in one- and five-dollar denominations for public sale. However, this plan was abandoned due to criticism that the Mint was striking “unauthorized” versions of the coin. Instead, Mint Director Jay Johnson arranged for the coins to be stored long-term at the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox.

In 2007, the coins were publicly exhibited at the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money in Milwaukee. After the event, Mint Director Ed Moy displayed the coins in his office in Washington, D.C.

High Hopes for the Golden Dollar Go Unmet

The Sacagawea Dollar, introduced in 2000, was intended to revitalize the use of dollar coins in everyday transactions, replacing the widely unsuccessful Susan B. Anthony Dollar, which Congress and the Mint had regretted releasing in 1979.

The coin honors Sacagawea, the Shoshone woman who aided the Lewis and Clark expedition. Unlike the Anthony Dollar, the Sacagawea Dollar was struck in a distinctive golden-colored manganese-brass alloy. Proponents in Congress and dollar-coin lobbying groups hoped the coin would circulate widely and reduce reliance on the one-dollar bill. However, they failed to account for the same reality that faced the Treasury Department in 1979: one-dollar coins do not circulate well alongside one-dollar bills. Despite extensive promotional campaigns and partnerships with retailers like Walmart and General Mills, public spending habits remained unchanged.

In its first year, the Mint produced over three-quarters of a billion Sacagawea Dollars, but the coin largely failed to achieve widespread circulation. Within a few years, mintage dropped, and the government’s stockpile of unwanted dollar coins grew. Despite this, the coin did generate an enthusiastic collector base, with annual issues being sold in Mint Sets, Proof Sets, and bags and rolls.

Artist Glenna Goodacre’s design is widely regarded as one of the most attractive United States coin designs of the past fifty years. In 2009, the Mint updated the coin by moving the date, mintmark, and “E PLURIBUS UNUM” to the edge and introducing new reverse designs each year to celebrate the contributions of Native American people to the United States.

The 2025-W Gold Tribute Coin – An Instant Sell-Out

For 2025, the U.S. Mint is commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Sacagawea Dollar with a special 24-karat gold coin that pays tribute to the gold dollars the public never received. This release follows the announcement that the Mint will issue a 1916-W Mercury Dime gold tribute coin in 2026 and the successful release of similar gold tributes in 2016.

The Mint offered the new coins for sale on July 31, and even with a household limit of one, the entire mintage of 7,500 coins sold out swiftly. On the secondary market, collectors are paying up to $2,850 per coin, a nearly $700 increase over the issue price. Prices are expected to climb even higher once the first certified “70” grade coins hit the market.