The United States Mint today officially launched the 2010 Native American $1 coin. The newly designed dollar debuted in a special ceremony at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian George Gustav Heye Center in New York City.
"The beautiful 2010 Native American $1 Coin reverse design honors the Iroquois Confederacy – five tribal Nations joined by a single constitution in the 1400s in upstate New York," said US Mint Director Ed Moy who was joined by Heye Center Director John Haworth to introduce the latest circulating $1.
"The design is an acknowledgment of the confederation’s influence on Western political thought, including concepts of equality and democratic self-government that existed on the North American continent long before the founding of the United States."
Thomas Cleveland’s design depicts "Government – The Great Tree of Peace." Centered on the reverse is a Hiawatha Belt which signifies the creation of the Haudenosaunee, also known as the Iroquois Confederacy. The belt and five arrows bound within portray the strength in unity of the five participating nations — Onondaga, Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga and Seneca.
The Native American dollar features a new reverse theme each year, which began in 2009 as authorized by Public Law 110-82. A design is selected that celebrates the important contributions made by Indian tribes and individual Native Americans to the history and development of the United States. The obverse (heads side) remains unchanged, featuring Glenna Goodacre’s Sacagawea design that was first introduced in 2000.
On Friday, Jan. 22, the US Mint began selling $1 rolls from either Philadelphia or Denver for $35.95. Each roll is "wrapped with specially designed yellow and black paper" and contains 25 coins.
Additionally, the $1 coins are available through the US Mint Direct Ship Program. Boxes of ten 25-coin rolls of the Native American coins are sold at face value ($250), with no premiums added or shipping costs. However, these rolls are not wrapped in specially designed paper collectors prefer, since the purpose of the program is to distribute $1 coins into circulation for ever day use.
For more information this year’s design, to include specifications, see: 2010 Native American $1 Coin.
I was at the ceremony yesterday. It was interesting. There were many school kids present as well as some older collectors. The coin exchange was a highlight as we were among the first in the country to get our hands on the coins.