On Monday, April 15, the United States Mint revealed 14 potential designs for the 2026 Native American $1 Coin, gearing up for their assessment before the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) on April 16 and the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) on April 18. All the provided line art images offer designs emblematic of the theme, "Oneidas at Valley Forge."
During the Revolutionary War, Oneida warriors journeyed hundreds of miles to join George Washington’s army at Valley Forge, accompanied by a Oneida woman named Polly Cooper. Notably, their provision of hundreds of baskets of white corn proved invaluable, as Cooper taught soldiers and their families how to correctly prepare and cook the corn, saving lives among the starving Continental troops. Most of the proposed designs for the 2026 Native American dollar depict Polly Cooper.
Launched in 2009 and authorized by Public Law 110-82, the U.S. Mint’s Native American $1 coin series showcases annually changing reverse designs (tails side) that pay tribute to the significant contributions made by Indigenous Americans, who include American Indians, Alaskan Natives and Native Hawaiians.
The design for the 2026 coin will ultimately be chosen by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with several entities, including the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, the Congressional Native American Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives, and the National Congress of American Indians, in addition to considering the recommendations made by the CFA and CCAC.
The obverses or heads side of the dollars in the yearly series share Glenna Goodacre’s portrayal of Sacagawea carrying her infant son, Jean-Baptiste.
This year’s Native American dollar commemorates the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924. The 2025 dollar depicts Mary Kawena Pukui, a scholar, author, composer, dancer, and educator, and the first Native Hawaiian to be honored in the $1 coin program.
In 2026, American coinage will stand out more compared to other years. In addition to the Native American dollar and its distinctive design, other coins will showcase one-year-only designs. These will celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary and include dual-dated cents and nickels, other circulating coins, as well as "Best of the Mint" coins and medals.
I like any of the first five designs over the following ones. The worst are 11 & 12.
#1 is particularly attractive to me IF they remove the “spots” (whatever they represent) . Portrait #7 transposed onto #6 would be really nice, too.
MHO
Dave SWFL, I think the “spots” in #1 is supposed to be snow? I can’t get past subliminally seeing the O-Ned-ers (from that movie the One-ders) in the name Oneidas (is it O-Neid-as? or One-i-das?)
26NA-01 is a very nice design
26NA-02 is pretty good also
26NA-03 looks like a corn rocket launch
The rest are not for me. Native American Series is the most interesting thing the mint has done in a long time IMO. Too bad the finish on the golden dollars looks 300 yrs old as soon as it’s circulated.
26NA-03 looks like Washington is giving the poor Indian $1 for her corn.
Are you from Tampa? Buck an ear fan?
Love that!!!
Here’s my take (all 14 cents): #1: The best of the lot despite the “spots” as snow. Maybe it will spawn a whole bunch of “spot” errors like the Wisconsin state quarter corn stalk extra leaf (I’m kidding, of course bc most coins will have some kind of spots- we’re talking the US Mint); #2: The corn phallus; #3: Agree with Mark In Florida; #4: Pope Washington The Pious; #5: Same as with #3; #6: Sad, you’re taking all my corn…; #7: Looks like the eagle is a mutant attached to the head of the women a la Kuato in… Read more »
My numbering system #1-#14 in order left to right, top to bottom. Sorry to not use the NA number provided with each…
Man, you are cracking me up to the point of tears. If they got rid of the corn pizza, I think I might like #11 best.
All this talk of Corn! Well, I can’t wait to get my favorite corn, and it’s local here in CO. Olathe Sweet Corn, just delicious, but not until Summer..
Now I’m hungry, I just got an add for pizza. No not a corn pizza!
I’ll take #1 spots/no spots–Yes–We want Low/High leafs Major!
My Girly? Call me an old fashioned, hometown Girly Guy…
It’s not her only ‘heavenly’ role to boot! (❤️ ω ❤️)…
Yes! Peaches & Cream is my favorite. Knee high by the Fourth of July. I was having a Bubba Shrimp moment with all the corn talk. As for old-fashioned- agree with you there, being on the Mary Ann side of the Mary Ann vs Ginger debate.
Sweet Sweet Sally – priceless!
Being unavailable now, the 2022 Silver Proof Set (22RH) with sales of 248,118 as of April 14 will be the lowest mintage silver proof set since the Mint started making them in 1992. The 2023 Silver Proof Set (23RH) will be at least #2 (with a first-ever product limit of 260,040).
3rd try a charm??? My take on these designs. #1 I’m still trying to decide on whether this is supposed to be “pop-corn”, or a smart alec soldier told her how “neat”, adding a couple cups of water to a cauldron of boiling oil was? Or did the artist lose their train of thought and add a volcanic eruption and this is pumice and rock being launched into the air??? LOL Being big into skiing, doesn’t look like snow(spots) to me, mainly due to it appearing to be coming from the pot and traveling upward towards the coins apex, in… Read more »
More funny stuff. Thanks for the laughs.
Funny! though I think George was more of a Cherry tree guy.
#3 is the best. It needs to remove the sunburst and the extra feet below Washington’s right arm. I hope no one was paid for 6-12!
A03
#3 looks like George stole an ear of corn and she’s demanding he give it back. And the sunburst is also funky
. I can see the symbology, which is complex, being two separate entities expressed respectfully in one conjoining theme. The ‘Native American Indians” and “Early Valley Forge,” which was the Continental Army’s Encampment in the Winter. So, you have to think about that whole scenario. Also, a place that I had been to as a young boy going up in New England. So again, it is a complicated design and the message is an important one that may have been forgotten by most of us over the centuries. Yet, when things are complicated, they tend to lose some artistic beauty.… Read more »
✔️
Well reasoned, E 1