Campbell initially had hoped that the designs would be used on a silver version of the 5-cent denomination, but during the legislative process, U.S. Mint officials argued it would make more sense reissuing the designs as a commemorative silver dollar. Other than the size, the main departure from Fraser's original designs is the inclusion on the silver dollar of the motto IN GOD WE TRUST, which wasn't congressionally mandated at the time the Indian Head 5-cent coin was first issued in 1913.
Campbell introduced the legislation to reintroduce the Fraser designs for the first time in 1995.
Telephone, fax and mail sales of the silver dollars at pre-issue discount prices begin June 7, with Internet sales at www.usmint.gov starting at noon June 11. The pre-issue discount sales run through July 25, after which regular issue prices are in effect.
The silver dollar's designs are based on the celebrated "Buffalo nickel," designed by Fraser and minted from 1913 through 1938. Three different American Indians - Chief Iron Tail, Chief Big Tree and Chief Two Moons, who were performers in Wild West shows in New York City - modeled for Fraser. The bison model for the coin came from Black Diamond, a resident at New York's Central Park Zoo.
"The buffalo was always a great benefit and blessing to American Indians in the past," said Rick West, director of the National Museum of the American Indian. "And just as the buffalo made our lives whole in the 19th century, the sales of the American Buffalo commemorative coin in the 21st century will benefit the museum that serves to commemorate and celebrate the lives of American Indians."
The pre-issue discount prices, good only during the pre-issue sales period, which runs from June 7 to July 25, with regular-issue prices in parentheses, are:
Single Proof silver dollar, $33 ($37)
Single Uncirculated silver dollar, $30 ($32)
Two-coin set (Proof and Uncirculated), $59.95 ($64.95)
Coinage and Currency set, $54.95 ($59.95).
The Coinage and Currency set, limited to 50,000 sets, comprises an Uncirculated American Buffalo silver dollar; a replica printing of the face of the Series 1899 $5 silver certificate bearing a portrait of Hunkpapa Sioux Chief Running Antelope; and two U.S. stamps - a 10-cent stamp issued from the 1987 Great American Series featuring Red Cloud of the Oglala Sioux, and a 21-cent Bison stamp issued in March 2001 featuring a bison against a sunset background.
Beginning June 7, customers may call (800) USA-MINT to order by telephone. Operators will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take orders. For hearing or speech-impaired customers, the number is at TTY (301) 344-4144. Customers may also order by mail; send check or money order to United States Mint, P.O. Box 382614, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-8614. Delivery from June 7 may take four to six weeks.
To check on an order or to get on the Mint's mailing list, write Customer Service Center, United States Mint, 10003 Derekwood Lane, Lanham, Md. 20706. The telephone number is (202) 283-2646.
Beginning June 11, customers may order the American Buffalo Commemorative Coin directly online via the U.S. Mint secure Web site at www.usmint.gov and pay no additional shipping and handling charges. Customers who prefer to fax their orders may download an order form from the Web site and fax it to (301) 344-4150, Attn: Order Processing.
