Native American Dollar Reverse Designs
The Native American Dollar Coin Program began in 2009. The obverse of the coins featured the image of Sacagawea and child that has been used on golden dollar coins since 2000. The reverse of the new series features an annually rotating design, which celebrates the important figures, events, and contributions from Native Americans.
The authorizing legislation H.R. 2358 The Native American $1 Coin Act included several suggestions for reverse designs:
- Creation of the Cherokee written language
- Existence of the Iroquois Confederacy
- Chief Massasoit of the Wampanoag
- The Pueblo Revolt
- Olympic Champion Jim Thorpe
- General Ely S. Parker, Head of Indian Affairs
- Navajo Code Talkers
Until the end of the Presidential Dollar Program, the reverse designs of Native American Dollars will be issued in chronological order of the figures and events featured, to the extent possible. The US Mint will create a time line of events until at least 2016 to be used for the creation of coin designs.
During the design evaluation process, The United States Mint will consult with the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, House of Representatives Congressional Native American Caucus, Commission of Fine Arts, National Congress of American Indians, and Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC). The Secretary of the Treasury will select the final designs to be minted and issued.
The design released for the 2009 Native American Dollar featured an agriculture theme, depicting the "Three Sisters" method of planting. A Native American woman was pictured planting seeds in a field of beans, corn, and squash.
The 2010 Native American Dollar design featured the Hiawatha Belt, representing the Iroquois Confederacy. The Onondaga, Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, and Seneca Nations are represents by the arrows and symbols on the belt.
