Design recommendations have been made for the 2026 Native American dollar. The U.S. Mint’s Native American $1 coin series, introduced in 2009 and authorized by Public Law 110-82, features annually changing reverse designs that honor the significant contributions of Indigenous Americans, including American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiians. In 2026, the coin’s design will highlight the theme "Oneidas at Valley Forge."
During the Revolutionary War, Oneida warriors traveled 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.
For some background, proposed designs for the 2026 dollar were initially reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) on April 16 and the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) on April 18, 2024. (See the original designs.) Both panels suggested refinements to several of these designs and anticipated a subsequent review. The revised designs were then reviewed by the CCAC on June 18 and by the CFA on June 20.
During the first round of reviews in April, design #3 was one of a handful to receive very favorable comments. It was suggested to further develop the design to present Polly Cooper and George Washington in a more complementary manner. This was done, with three variations presented during the second round of reviews.
Supported by several stakeholders and liaisons, members of the CCAC and CFA ultimately approved design #3 with some tweaks. CCAC members recommended a few inscription changes, which essentially led to design #3B without the starburst, as many felt its inclusion made the design look too busy. The CFA concurred but went further, also suggesting a more thoughtful placement of "$1," perhaps before the inscription "ONEIDA ALLIES AT VALLEY FORGE."
Below are U.S. Mint images of the second collection of candidate designs that were reviewed. Aside from design #3, the second most discussed and favored design was #7.
The design for the 2026 dollar 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.
Corn power won! eat this and say the magic word “Shazam”
Maybe it was the best of that bad lot … of corn and coin designs.
Major D,
This design pick was reported in the pages of ‘Corn World ” newspaper. (Darn auto correct!…I meant Coin World newspaper). Lol.
NumisdudeTX
Seth Riesling, REB and Major D, All this talk about corn to feed General Washington and his (in danger of) starving Revolutionary troops lead me to reflect upon an old memory of mine from the late ’50’s and early ’60’s regarding corn usage in both Austria and Germany. In that era whenever any locals got wind of the fact that we Americans were delighted to be consuming corn fresh off the stalk they would shake their heads in wonder; after all, none of the natives in their history had ever conceived of corn being employed for anything other than livestock… Read more »
So true, Kaiser! Except when I had a long stay in Gloucestershire in the 80’s and Kellogg’s Corn Flakes was a staple of my breakfast. A minor argument with some of the locals when I said it good to see an American product– because to them it was English! (and sure enough, it said Made in England on the box!)
The corn plot gets ever more twisty, Major D! A crop that the people on The Continent originally saw as intended solely for pigs was subsequently refined into a breakfast cereal and claimed as their own creation by the very nationality whose troops had lost a war to us usurpers in part thanks to our in the nick of time provided opportunity to consume the Native American gift of this particular nourishment.
Corn, potatoes, tomatoes and peanuts came from the Americas.
Absolutely correct, Antonio, and specifically from South America, the continent where all of these were first grown, and spread up through Central America to Mexico, with Mexico being the sole part of North America where they were originally cultivated.
Darn, Seth Riesling, I made the same mistake, which explains why I’ve been getting regular shipments from the “Ear of the Month Club.” Tasty, though!
Somebody’s making beacoup buck$ manipulating the Ag market….
So far, $29 and the 50 day moving average have held up (fingers crossed).
The silver market has been manipulated by the big banks through derivatives for ages. There’s a whole lot of silver still out there and demand is not sufficient to break it out (yet). Meanwhile, back at the ranch……
DAVESWFL, although I’m not purchasing silver, I’d really like to see Silver go way up!! I’ve still got a lot of it but by the time it goes way up, I’ll probably only have the Silver Coins I really like and will keep, which will be a lot of Silver still. I’ve got Silver coins I really like, some single and some in sets. I like Ag but I’m focusing on Au now. I may go back to Ag if Au gets too expensive which it may very well happen. That old saying, “be careful what you wish for, you… Read more »
DAVESWFL and John Q. Coinage,
If the silver market is being controlled by the Big Banks’ machinations with regard to derivatives – think back to the collapse of 2008 in connection to that one – it is hardly alone in that regard as I very much doubt there is a single facet of the nation’s economy that isn’t being manipulated in some such similar manner.
Yes, silver has been that way for a long time.
My precious.
Wait, Antonio, that’s your precious too? How did this love triangle get started?
The two committees picked the best coin design by far and collaborated admirably by adopting one suggested change from each to improve on it. A job well done!
Good day ALL, well, today I “finally” received my 2024 $100 Gold Lib/Brit coin, PR70, PCGS, First Strike Flag Label along with the 2034 Silver Lib/Brit Medal, PR70 PCGS, First Dyrike Flag Label!!!! Although I have to get creative on the way I receive UPS & FedEx packages, it works, Fake address and all. I’m definitely relieved it’s here safe and sound. I usually don’t worry at all unless it’s a gold coin or an expensive silver coin. I love it when a plan comes together, lol!! My take on both the Au & Ag coin and medal respectively, is… Read more »
Congrats AKBob! I didn’t buy either, but I believe you (and others here) have a genuine winner with the gold. The silver I’m afraid is too high of a mintage at 31,912 +/-. A close comparable to the silver may just be the 2020 End of WW II 75th Anniversary 1-oz proof silver medal at mintage just under 20,000. It listed for $75 at the Mint and can be had on eBay for about the same price (or less) at auction if you’re lucky.
Major D, I have to agree with you. I think medals and commemoratives are Losers. I apologize to those that do collect them, they just don’t blow my skirt up and they don’t have much if any “upside”. I have only purchased medals that go with a gold Liberty coin! I’m not into Medals nor Commemoratives, gold or silver. I will say tho, this 2024 Lib/Brit medal in Proof is purt near Stunning!! Definitely the nicest so far in the Liberty Series, IMHO that is. Some may differ on their favorites, each to their own I say. Well, as always,… Read more »
Congratulations AKBob! What a long journey for your coin & medal(whew!). I have already moved on from the stunt that the Mint pulled, no choice now. I hope you can do the same. I predicted the remind me button but I wanted to be wrong. I(we) didn’t expect it, not this time, this way… Keep that Mint sealed box! The Mint did such a poor website rendition that when it is finally seen in hand, it surprised almost everyone! The Stars, Trident, & 3D Torch are killer with the fewer(dpi ? lol) frosted finish giving the multi colored look. The… Read more »
Rick and AKBob,
One of the blessings of old age is that I find I concern myself much less with personal ownership and far more with sheer appreciation. While those gorgeous gold coins are out of my reach I am happy to join in the celebration of your acquisition of them and I appreciate your sharing of them via description and depiction with the rest of us.
Exquisite!
AKBob, I’d say not all commemoratives are losers. Specifically, the sets that offer unique rarities (special low mintage coins) for circulating denominations, e.g. 1993/94 Jefferson C+C set; 1997 Botanic Gardens C+C set; 1998 RFK Collector’s set; 2015 March of Dimes 3-coin set; and 2019 Apollo 11 Special set. All very undervalued in the resale market IMO. I do have some of the newer silver Liberty medals, and I agree that they can be stunning!
Indeed, but usually to $1+/- daily moves…. The trend was $21….move up to $27bust back make 25%. Daily $1 moves are not often so back to back was almost unique.
…an Oneida woman… number 7 is the most simple and best IMO. I hope the golden dollars will END SOON!
This design is 2026, so at least two more years….. As to the other “golden dollar”, we’re stuck with AI$ through 2032 when it is scheduled to end. Here’s something I don’t understand. In a June 14 article on circulating coin production, CoinNews reported that the YTD production for the 2024 NA$ was P: 207,080,000 + D: 189,000,000. If you do a count of the product limits for the rolls, bags and boxes it is less than 1,000,000 each for the P & D. And if you add on to that the previously announced product limit of 190,000 for the… Read more »
Now that, Major D, is a real head scratcher. Go figure.
Dennis,
While I myself chose #3, upon further examination that one looks a bit as if George Washington is food shopping at an Oneida street market. Best prices here!
On the other hand, example #7 might be construed as a combination of room service and towel change at the Oneida Revolutionary Inn.
Seems like there is more time, effort, and input into the design of these non-circulating coins than to the expenditure of trillions of dollars by our Congress which gets to peek at multi thousand page bills for 24 hours before voting!
Anyway, good job by the committees!
I kinda liked #7 better for a coin.
Have you gotten any 2024 dated coins in your change or at a local bank or credit union? I haven’t.
Antonio, I’ve received the 1c, 5c, 10c and two AWQ designs so far in change (All P). The best place I’ve found is the grocery store. For some reason they are getting new coin rolls whereas the banks have the mixed dates.
Got a 2024 nickel in the Celebrity Reflection casino a few weeks back.
Penny at Target.
Quarter at Wendy’s
DAVESWFL, Major D and Antonio,
I am likewise in Antonio’s perdicament. Not a single 2024 coin has as yet made an appearance in my neck of the woods.
Hi Antonio,
Last week at the grocery store I got 2 2024-D Lincoln cents as change. Despite being brand new they had a few blemishes. Little dark dots in a few places. Something I see on many of the non-copper cents in my change. These were the first 2024 dated coins I have seen so far. I did buy the 2024 Silver proof set and will be getting the circulated set, so I will have at least one of each 2024 coin soon.
DAVESWFL and Dennis,
Reading why both of you favor the #7 over the #3 has given me pause regarding my original preference for the later. In fact, I do feel moved to change my vote to align with yours.
Dave they’ve been “trained” to just go ahead and pass the bill, and then find out what’s in it afterwards. There’s less headaches for the lazy crowd this way. It’s usually too late for them to discover that after passing the Bill, that they are choking on Pork. BTW these coins are now being introduced into circulation along with the AI coins and have been for a bit as far as I can tell? The product limit faithful guys keep scratching their heads, but it really isn’t necessary at all. You can spread & circulate the NA$ and AI$ around… Read more »
Considering Washington is sitting higher than the Native American who saved them