New Dollar Coin May Pay Tribute to Sacajawea
The face on the new dollar coin will be that of Liberty, but with features “inspired by Sacajawea,” the famous Indian guide, the Treasury Department said Wednesday.
The choice won praise for widely differing reasons, but Rep. Michael N. Castle (R-Del.) said he will fight it in favor of the Statue of Liberty, which he called “the greatest and most recognizable symbol of freedom worldwide.”
He has introduced a bill that would overturn Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin’s approval of a citizens advisory panel’s recommendation last month in favor of the Liberty-Sacajawea theme.
“Naturally, we’re pleased,” said John Danks, programs manager for the Three Affiliated Tribes in North Dakota. “It’s good recognition and it allows the natives to share in our national history.”
Sacajawea was the young Shoshone woman who joined the expedition of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in 1804 and, with a baby in her arms, helped guide the explorers to the Pacific Ocean.
In the spring of 2000, the new coin will replace the current dollar coin, which depicts 19th-century women’s rights advocate Susan B. Anthony. The coin will be about the same size as the Anthony dollar. But unlike the Anthony dollar, it will be colored gold and have an edge distinct from the quarter, probably smooth like the nickel, said U.S. Mint Director Philip Diehl.
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