2010 Native American Dollar
The 2010 Native American Dollar is the second coin of the new series and features a reverser design based on the theme “Government – The Great Tree of Peace.” This design theme was recommended by the authorizing legislation as ” Existence of the Iroquois Confederacy.” The obverse of the coin features a portrait of Sacagawea and child that will be used for each year of the series.
The reverse design features the Hiawatha Belt. This is a visual record of the Haudenosaunnee, better known as the Iroquois Confederacy. The belt has a central figure with two squares to each side, representing the Onondaga, Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, and Seneca Nations. The Hiawatha Belt encircles a group of five arrows to symbolize the strength in unity of the Iroquois Confederacy. The reverse was designed by Thomas Cleveland and sculpted by Charles L. Vickers.
Selection of the Hiawatha Belt reverse design was made by the United States Treasury Secretary. A total of four different candidate designs had been prepared by the US Mint for reverse by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and the Commission of Fine Arts. Both made recommendations for the chosen reverse design. The other three designs featured the “Great Tree of Peace.” This is a white pine tree topped by an eagle, where a Native American leader named Peacemaker buried weapons. This was symbolic of the peace treaty formed between the five nations in the Iroquois Confederation.
The 2010 Native American Dollar was first made available by the United States Mint on January 4, 2010 through their Direct Ship Program. Quantities of 250 coins could be ordered at face value for the purpose of introducing the coins into circulation. The US Mint offered numismatic rolls of the coins starting on January 22, 2010.
A launch ceremony for the coins was held on January 25, 2010 at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian George Gustav Heye Center in New York City. The United States Mint Director was on hand for the event. Children 18 years of age and younger received a newly minted Native American Dollar for free. Others were given the opportunity to exchange currency for rolls of the new coins.
2010 Native American Dollar Specifications and Mintage
- Designers: Glenna Goodacre (obverse), Thomas Cleveland (reverse)
- Mintage: To Be Determined
- Composition: 88.5% copper, 6% zinc, 3.5% manganese, 2% nickel
- Diameter: 26.5 mm
- Weight: 8.1g
- Thickness: 2.0 mm
- Edge: Lettered
