If the United States Mint moves forward with plans to produce a 24-karat gold Sacagawea dollar on the 25th anniversary of the series in 2025, it will be the first time the issue is produced in .9999 fine gold.

The bureau is considering producing the gold dollars at the West Point Mint with the facility’s W Mint mark. Bureau officials have not disclosed what finish would be used for the 25th anniversary gold dollars nor any mintage limit.

During the tenure of former U.S. Mint Director Philip N. Diehl, in June 1999, 39 Proof 2000-W gold examples were struck at the West Point Mint, using the W Mint mark, but in the same 22-karat, .9167 fine gold composition as the American Eagle half-ounce gold $25 coins.

Twenty-seven of the gold strikes were melted, all bearing the original Sacagawea prototype designs. The 12 examples that remain were the ones sent to space in July 1999 aboard the space shuttle Columbia.

Those 12 gold pieces are currently secured in a vault at the Fort Knox Bullion Depository in Kentucky. The 12 gold pieces are not officially considered coins, since they were never officially issued; although they  bear the denomination ONE DOLLAR, they have no legal tender status.

Researchers have determined the 12 gold strikes from 1999 match the 5,500 manganese-brass clad circulation quality strikes struck in 1999 and randomly inserted into boxes of Cheerios as part of a marketing promotion with General Mills. Both illustrate the Soaring Eagle on the reverse with 12 detailed feathers in the tail. The central feather’s shaft is raised, and the feather vanes show detail. The design was modified to what some count as 13 tail feathers for the later circulation output.

When Thomas D. Rogers Sr. — the sculptor-engraver on the U.S. Mint’s engraving staff who executed the Soaring Eagle reverse for the series — learned of the Mint’s proposal for a 2025-W Sacagawea gold dollar, he explained to Coin World how the discussion of 12 tail feathers or 13 tail feathers came about.

“I’ve always been proud that the eagle on the Sac reverse is one of only 5 or 6 flying eagles gracing U.S. circulating coinage since the Mint’s inception in 1792,” Rogers told Coin World Feb. 20 via email, “but it was never given the exposure that it could have gotten, due to the refusal of the public to accept its use in everyday transactions.

“Although the 13th feather is something that was determined by some outside sources, actually, there was a raised shaft (rachis) on the center 12th feather. When we began getting concentric lines in the [model] reductions that seemed to be coming from the tail, we decided to smooth the feathers, and part of that was lowering the rachis from raised to incused. The number of feathers was never increased by me, the engraver, but was interpreted as an increase by others. When collectors look for the Cheerios dollar, they look for textured vanes, not so much how many feathers.

“I never understood what all the fuss was about ... Look at the eagle on the reverse of the Morgan dollar. It only has 7 or 8 tail feathers. And it’s probably the most sought after U.S. coin.”

The proposed 25th anniversary Sacagawea gold dollar will feature the designs that appeared on coins released into general circulation in January 2000, bearing the so-called “13 tail feathers,” with the same inscriptions as originally featured on the 2000 coins, with no mention of gold weight or fineness.

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If the United States Mint moves forward with plans to produce a 24-karat gold Sacagawea dollar on the 25th anniversary of the series in 2025, it will be the first time the issue is produced in .9999 fine gold.

The bureau is considering producing the gold dollars at the West Point Mint with the facility’s W Mint mark. Bureau officials have not disclosed what finish would be used for the 25th anniversary gold dollars nor any mintage limit.

During the tenure of former U.S. Mint Director Philip N. Diehl, in June 1999, 39 Proof 2000-W gold examples were struck at the West Point Mint, using the W Mint mark, but in the same 22-karat, .9167 fine gold composition as the American Eagle half-ounce gold $25 coins.

Twenty-seven of the gold strikes were melted, all bearing the original Sacagawea prototype designs. The 12 examples that remain were the ones sent to space in July 1999 aboard the space shuttle Columbia.

Those 12 gold pieces are currently secured in a vault at the Fort Knox Bullion Depository in Kentucky. The 12 gold pieces are not officially considered coins, since they were never officially issued; although they  bear the denomination ONE DOLLAR, they have no legal tender status.

Researchers have determined the 12 gold strikes from 1999 match the 5,500 manganese-brass clad circulation quality strikes struck in 1999 and randomly inserted into boxes of Cheerios as part of a marketing promotion with General Mills. Both illustrate the Soaring Eagle on the reverse with 12 detailed feathers in the tail. The central feather’s shaft is raised, and the feather vanes show detail. The design was modified to what some count as 13 tail feathers for the later circulation output.

When Thomas D. Rogers Sr. — the sculptor-engraver on the U.S. Mint’s engraving staff who executed the Soaring Eagle reverse for the series — learned of the Mint’s proposal for a 2025-W Sacagawea gold dollar, he explained to Coin World how the discussion of 12 tail feathers or 13 tail feathers came about.

“I’ve always been proud that the eagle on the Sac reverse is one of only 5 or 6 flying eagles gracing U.S. circulating coinage since the Mint’s inception in 1792,” Rogers told Coin World Feb. 20 via email, “but it was never given the exposure that it could have gotten, due to the refusal of the public to accept its use in everyday transactions.

“Although the 13th feather is something that was determined by some outside sources, actually, there was a raised shaft (rachis) on the center 12th feather. When we began getting concentric lines in the [model] reductions that seemed to be coming from the tail, we decided to smooth the feathers, and part of that was lowering the rachis from raised to incused. The number of feathers was never increased by me, the engraver, but was interpreted as an increase by others. When collectors look for the Cheerios dollar, they look for textured vanes, not so much how many feathers.

“I never understood what all the fuss was about ... Look at the eagle on the reverse of the Morgan dollar. It only has 7 or 8 tail feathers. And it’s probably the most sought after U.S. coin.”

The proposed 25th anniversary Sacagawea gold dollar will feature the designs that appeared on coins released into general circulation in January 2000, bearing the so-called “13 tail feathers,” with the same inscriptions as originally featured on the 2000 coins, with no mention of gold weight or fineness.

Connect with Coin World:  
Sign up for our free eNewsletter
Access our Dealer Directory  
Like us on Facebook  
Follow us on X (Twitter)

Whether you’re a current subscriber or new, you can take advantage of the best offers on magazine subscriptions available in digital, print or both! Whether you want your issue every week or every month, there’s a subscription to meet your needs.