The Walt Disney World Resort in central Florida near Orlando has just announced plans it is participating in a pilot program with the US Mint. Under this program, several merchandise and dining locations will now be giving back US Native American $1 coins instead of dollar bills as change.

"Our participation in the circulation pilot is part of a continued commitment to environmentality," states Thomas Smith (Social Media Director, Disney Parks) in the official blog about the launch of the program. "The coin is an environmentally responsible choice — it’s recyclable and lasts decades longer than paper bills."

Dollar coins are not a new idea in American coinage. The US Mint has been producing one version or another off and on since 1794. Some familiar examples that you may recall are the Seated Liberty Dollars, the Morgan Dollars, the Peace Dollars and the Eisenhower Dollars. Read the rest of this entry »

The United States Mint and new 2009 Native American $1 Coins helped launch the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) festival, "Out of Many:  A Multicultural Festival of Music, Dance and Story."

The Saturday event was an official release ceremony for the coins too, as well as their images. Previously, only the 2009 Native American coin designs were readily available. Collectors and the public have been able to purchase 25-coin rolls of the coins since Thursday, Jan. 15, and in quantities of $250 or $500 through its Direct Ship Program since Jan. 2. Read the rest of this entry »

The United States Mint will officially introduce the 2009 Native American $1 Coin on Saturday and issue 25-coin rolls of them Thursday, Jan. 15, according to a Mint media advisory and web site product pages.

2009 is the first year for the new coins, which bear the familiar Sacagawea obverse or heads side design introduced in 2000 and a new reverse design depicting a Native American woman planting seeds in a field of corn, beans and squash (representing the Three Sisters method of planting).

The Native American $1 Coin Act mandates a different design every year as well as an equal mintage with each yearly Presidential $1 coin.

The Mint unveiled the 2009 Native American designs during Native American Heritage Day in November, added them to its Direct Ship Program on Jan. 2, and will sale 25-coin rolls on Thursday with either the Philadelphia "P" or Denver "D" mintmark. Read the rest of this entry »

A joint U.S. Mint and Washington Metro press conference last week announced that $1 coins were accepted and dispensed in Metro farecard vending machines.

Thanks to Metro and its YouTube channel, the video of the conference with United States Mint Director Ed Moy and Metro’s Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Chief Financial Officer Carol Kissal is available.

The video — embedded below — offers a unique perspective, and a rare look into a Mint press briefing evangelizing the benefits of using $1 coins. Read the rest of this entry »

$1 coins may now be used throughout the Washington Metro Transit System, the United States Mint and Washington Metro Area Transit Authority jointly announced today.

All modern $1 coins — from Presidential Dollars, to Sacagawea Golden Dollars, to the upcoming Native American $1 Coins — are now accepted and can be dispensed in Metro farecard vending machines.

Promoting the awareness and use of dollar coins is part of the Mint’s initiative to convince the public that coins are better, and cheaper to use than paper bills in every day transactions.

"We are excited about collaborating with Metro to increase circulation of $1 coins," Director Moy said. "Once the public realizes the benefits of using $1 coins, we are confident they will be motivated to use them more often."

According to the Mint, coins last 30 to 40 years and are reusable. It now says about one percent of old coins are recycled annually, which accounts for some 16 million in new coins every year. Read the rest of this entry »

Newly designed Native American $1 Coins will be available for face value on January 2 by way of the Direct Ship Program, the United States Mint said in a release Tuesday.

"By ordering through our Direct Ship Program, businesses and consumers have the convenience and flexibility of purchasing manageable quantities of circulating $1 coins at face value," said United States Mint Director Ed Moy.

The Mint unveiled images of the new 2009 $1 coin in late November. It bears the traditional Sacagawea portrait on the obverse, but sports a new reverse thanks to the Native American $1 Coin Act that mandates a different design each year as well as an equal mintage with the four yearly Presidential $1 coins. Read the rest of this entry »

U.S. Mint releases 2009 Native American $1 Coin design on Native American Heritage Day

The United States Mint on Friday helped to celebrate Native American Heritage Day by unveiling the design image for the new 2009 Sacagawea $1 coin, officially entitled the "Native American $1 Coin." The dollar will begin circulating in January along with the first 2009 Presidential $1 Coin.

The new reverse designed by U.S. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Norman E. Nemeth depicts a Native American woman planting seeds in a field of corn, beans and squash. The scene represents the Three Sisters method of planting.

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The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) has set the time for its latest meeting to review 2009 Sacagawea Golden Dollar designs and edge letterings.

The task of the CCAC is to review themes and design proposals for circulating coinage, commemorative coins, bullion coinage, Congressional Gold Medals and other medals.

In their latest public meeting on Wednesday, June 18, the CCAC will follow up on business related to The Native American $1 Coin Act.

The coin act became law last year and requires:

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The United States Mint has officially announced the sale of 2008 Sacagawea Golden Dollar coins. Coin bags and coin rolls of Sacagawea’s will be made available at 12:00 noon (ET) on April 28, 2008.

Each roll of Sacagawea Golden Dollars contains 25 coins wrapped in distinctive packaging. The canvas bags contain 250 coins. Both options bear either the “P” or the “D” mint mark denoting their originating Mint facility in Philadelphia or Denver.

Mint previously announced the sale of 2008 Sacagawea coins, but pulls the plug

The Mint first announced the sale of 2008 Sacagawea dollars in a product update to the public back in mid January. However, they quickly pulled them.

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The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) is placing new Sacagawea Golden Dollar and First Spouse Gold Coin Designs under the microscope.

The job of the CCAC is to review themes and design proposals for circulating coinage, commemorative coins, bullion coinage, Congressional Gold Medals and other medals. And that’s what they will do with the latest series of new coin designs.

The CCAC’s next public meeting has been set for Tuesday, April 22. The major topics up for review and debate according to the planned agenda are:

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