The Native American Dollar program is one of the more unique offerings from the United States Mint. Not only is it an annual release, its design/s have become a focal point of interest in its latter years. However, the $1 coin’s beginning was a much different picture, making the reasons obvious for its landing on Whitman Publishing’s 100 Greatest United States Modern Coins list a few times understandable. This particular entry is different though, giving way to a more recent year-dated $1 coin from the series landing among the others on this compilation curated by Scott Schechter and Jeff Garrett. With finish, design, and attribution being the biggest factors for this coin’s addition to the list, its initial success set a precedent that contributed to future coins like it.
#91 - 2014-D Sacagawea Dollar, Enhanced Uncirculated
The Native American, or Sacagawea, $1 Coin Program launched from the United States Mint in 2000. For the first few years of its existence, coins were produced not only in annual sets but also in circulation. A large number of them in fact. However, like the dollar coins before, demand did not outweigh production and after 2002, the coin mainly became a collector-based item and stayed that way until 2008.
In 2009 things changed as the denomination was once again struck for circulation except the “E PLURIBUS UNUM” inscription along with the date and mint mark moved to the edge. This allowed for the design on the reverse to become what it is today: an ever-changing design from year-to-year. Legislation would make it so that every reverse design honored and celebrated contributions made by Indian tribes and individual Native Americans to the United States and its history. Yearly the designs changed and celebrated the themes in beautiful and artistic ways.
In 2014, the reverse design was set to portray “native hospitality.” More specifically, it was to depict how Native American culture helped the success of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The image itself features a Native American man offering a pipe and a Native American woman offering fish, corn, roots, and gourds—provisions of their culture. A compass is seen in the background with the inscription “NW” which was the direction traveled during the expedition itself.
What makes this specific year unique? It was also featured in a 2014 Coin & Currency Set which historically paired a dollar coin and a dollar bill. The Mint decided in this year that they would feature the dollar coin a little differently, striking them in what they would call an Enhanced Uncirculated finish. The three-tone finish highlighted the design details and features and was only available in the set. Limited to 50,000, it sold out in a week. With a $13.95 retail price, some collectors thought it to be expensive given the face value of the set. Others believed it to be a steal as the limited coin itself was enough to warrant the sticker tag. Not to mention that it would be the first coin in that particular finish to be struck at Denver.
With the success of the Coin & Currency Set in 2014, the years following would also include Enhanced Uncirculated dollars.
This coin did not make the top 100 list until the 3rd edition of this publication. It has not moved since.