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der=0 cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 width=100%> Sacagawea coin fetches big bucks
AUGUST 8, 2000

George Washington and Sacagawea make an odd couple but the two are now forever joined in history thanks to a rare misprint by the US Mint.

A coin depicting the front of a George Washington quarter and the back of the new Sacagawea golden dollar (the eagle) is now famous not for just the mistake but for the big prices it has been fetching on the auction block recently.

At least two copies of the misprint have been sold in recent months. One was sold on the Internet auction site eBay for $41,395.

The other was just sold Sunday night at the American Numismatic Association World's Fair of Money in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An anonymous bidder paid $31,050 for the coin.

The mistake has turned the already popular Sacagawea coin into one of the most sought-after pieces of currency. Instead of spending the coins, as the US Mint encourages, enthusiasts have been hoarding them and, in some cases, selling them for more than the $1 dollar face value.

Native Americans have taken to using the coins in creative ways. The Shoshone mother who helped guide and interpret for Lewis and Clark during their exploration of the west in the early 1800s can be seen on powwow regalia, and jewelry throughout Indian Country.

Over 1 billion coins bearing Sacagawea's likeness have now been minted by the government. It was introduced in January of this year.

University of New Mexico graduate Randy'L He-dow Teton, herself a direct descendant of Sacagawea, posed for the coin.

Related Stories:
Dorreen Yellow Bird: Sakakawea (The Talking Circle 07/14)

Relevant Links:
The US Mint - www.usmint.gov
The American Numismatic Association - www.money.org