Introduction of the New Native American dollar circulating coin that depicts Sacagawea on the obverse and a Native American woman on reverse planting seeds was marked by a ceremonial “pour” Jan. 17 at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian by U.S. Mint Director Edward C. Moy and NMAI Director Kevin Gover.
They poured the coins from authentic Native American baskets.
The event opened a three-day festival called Out of Many: A Multicultural Festival of Music, Dance and Story.”
“With this coin, we hope to educate Americans, as the museum does, on how Native Americans helped make this country the premier food producer in the world,” Moy said.
After the pour, Moy and Gover gave away the 2009 dollars to each child 18 years old and younger. Adults who attended the event were able to exchange their paper money for the new coins at the Mint’s Real Change Exchange Truck that was parked outside.
