Last week, the United States Mint announced the official reverse design for the 2023 Native American $1 Coin. Honoring American ballerina Maria Tallchief, the new reverse was designed by Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) Designer Ben Sowards and sculpted by United States Mint Medallic Artist Phebe Hemphill.
Maria Tallchief is considered America’s first Native American ballerina, breaking barriers and “exhibiting strength and resilience both on and off the stage.” Four other Native American ballerinas from Oklahoma also have received international recognition in the 20th century, including Maria’s younger sister Marjorie Tallchief, Yvonne Chouteau, Rosella Hightower, and Moscelyne Larkin. All five are celebrated as the “Five Moons” and their legacy continues to influence ballet today.
The reverse features Maria Tallchief in ballet pose. “Five Moons” is represented in the lunar motif with the four ballerinas in the background symbolizing Tallchief’s American Indian ballerina peers and the generations of dancers they inspired. The inscriptions featured are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “MARIA TALLCHIEF,” “$1,” and “AMERICAN INDIANS IN BALLET.”
Source: United States Mint