2000 "P"BU Sacajawea Golden Dollar

Obverse Design

The Golden Dollar's obverse, or heads, has Sacagawea portrayed in three-quarter profile. In a departure from numismatic tradition, she looks straight at the holder. Glenna Goodacre, the artist of the obverse, included the large, dark eyes attributed to Sacagawea in Shoshone legends. Goodacre used a present-day Shoshone college student, Randy'L He-dow Teton, as her model.

On her back, Sacagawea carries Jean Baptiste, her infant son. Six months pregnant when she joined the Lewis and Clark expedition, Sacagawea gave birth to Jean Baptiste early in the journey.

Reverse Design

Designed to successfully complement the obverse, the selected reverse features a soaring eagle encircled by 17 stars. The 17 stars represent each state in the Union at the time of the 1804 Lewis and Clark expedition.

Glenna Goodacre, Sculptor

Golden Dollar's overall composition:
    * 88.5% copper
    * 6.0% zinc
    * 3.5% manganese
    * 2% nickel

Overall $1 Coin Production

In general, five distinct $1 coins will be issued each year—four Presidential $1 Coins and one Native American $1 Coin. The United States Mint will continue to produce Presidential $1 Coins and Native American $1 Coins so that the total quantity of $1 coins minted and issued for circulation is sufficient to meet the needs of the Nation. The law requires that at least 20 percent of all such $1 coins minted and issued in any year be Native American $1 Coins.

Until the conclusion of the Presidential $1 Coin Program, the Native American $1 Coins will be issued, to the maximum extent practicable, in chronological order of the events or lives of the persons being featured on the reverse design.

After the completion of the Presidential $1 Coin Program, the Native American $1 Coin Program will continue. It will feature designs in any order determined to be appropriate by the Department of the Treasury after consultation with the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, the Congressional Native American Caucus, the National Congress of American Indians and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.