The Native American $1 Coin Program was established to honor and recognize the important contributions made by Indian tribes and individual Native Americans.
For 2022, the obverse (heads) design continues to feature a portrait of the central figure Sacagawea, carrying her infant son, Jean-Baptiste. Inscriptions are “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST.” The coins continue to retain their distinctive edge lettering and golden color.
The Sacagawea Golden Dollar (now referred to as the Native American $1 Coin) was first released in 2000 and has had a changing reverse (tails) design since 2009.
The 2022 reverse design features Ely S. Parker, depicted in an Army uniform, serving as military secretary to General Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War. During the surrender at Appomattox, Parker rendered formal surrender documents in his own hand. He is shown with a quill pen, book, and likeness of his signature—symbols of his experience as an expert communicator, and his graceful penmanship. The inscriptions “TONAWANDA SENECA” and “HA-SA-NO-AN-DA” recognize his tribe and birth name. Additional inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “$1.”
The year of minting, mint mark, and inscription “E PLURIBUS UNUM” are incused on the edge of the coins.
