The design of this coin was selected from the 120 entries submitted to a panel appointed by then Treasury Sectary Robert Rubin. They adopted the motif of Sacagawea a young Native American Shoshone as conceived by artist Glenna Goodacre. On her back she carries her infant son, Jean Baptiste. The reverse shows the eagle in flight that was designed by mint engraver Thomas D. Rodgers Sr.

We know of her historically by her conduct as an interpreter and guide to explorers William Clark and Meriwether Lewis during their famed journey westward from the great northern plains to the Pacific.

Coins have a distinctive golden color and a plain edge to distinguish them from other denominations as the Susan B. Anthony had a very short run of only 3 years for circulating coinage and then the last year which was a collector's conly coin sold to whoever paid the mint direct for them. because they were mistook for a quarter.

The coin is made from a composition of a pure copper core with outer layers of manganese brass and nickel.