The United States Mint has unveiled images of the 2024 Native American $1 Coin, featuring a design that honors Mary Mary Kawena Pukui – a scholar, author, composer, dancer, educator, and the first Native Hawaiian recognized in the dollar program.
Native American dollars feature annually changing reverses that highlight contributions of Native American tribes and individuals to the history and development of the United States.
The 2025 dollar’s reverse, designed and sculpted by U.S. Mint Medallic Artist Phebe Hemphill, depicts Mary Kawena Pukui wearing a hibiscus flower, a kukui nut lei, and a muʻumuʻu adorned with an aloha print. Stylized water elements are featured in the background.
Encircling the design are the inscriptions "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "$1," and "Nānā I Ke Kumu," which translates to "Look to the Source." Nānā I Ke Kumu is also the title of a series of books Pukui co-authored with the Queen Liliʻuokalani Children’s Center.
The design was chosen from among 10 candidates reviewed by Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) and the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), and the preferences of Pukui’s family.
Authorized under Public Law 110-82 and introduced in 2009, the U.S. Mint’s Native American $1 Coin Program has highlighted the following themes:
- 2009: Three Sisters agriculture
- 2010: Great Tree of Peace and the Iroquois Confederacy
- 2011: Great Wampanoag Nation
- 2012: Trade routes
- 2013: Treaty with the Delawares
- 2014: Native hospitality ensured the success of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
- 2015: Contributions of the Kahnawake Mohawk and Mohawk Akwesasne communities to high iron construction work
- 2016: Contributions of Native American code talkers in World War I and World War II
- 2017: Sequoyah, inventor of the Cherokee syllabary
- 2018: Sports legend Jim Thorpe, a member of the Sac and Fox tribe
- 2019: Mary Golda Ross, the first known Native American female engineer, and a space-walking astronaut representing Native American astronauts
- 2020: Elizabeth Peratrovich for her role in the 1945 Anti-Discrimination Law passed by the Alaskan territorial government
- 2021: Honoring the service of American Indians in the U.S. military
- 2022: Ely Samuel Parker, a U.S. Army officer, engineer, and tribal diplomat
- 2023: Ballerina Maria Tallchief and American Indians in ballet
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Common Obverse Design
Obverses (heads side) of Native American $1 Coins share the same portrait of "Sacagawea" as designed by sculptor Glenna Goodacre. The familiar image has been around since the Sacagawea golden dollar debuted in 2000. Inscriptions around Sacagawea read LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST.
An edge inscription indicates the year of issue, mint mark, and the motto "E PLURIBUS UNUM."
Upcoming U.S. Mint 2025 Dollar Products
Native American dollars have not been released into circulation since 2011. The U.S. Mint now produces them exclusively for numismatic products sold here.
The first 2025-dated Native American dollars will be available for order starting Jan. 28. Options will include 25-coin rolls, 100-coin bags, and 250-coin boxes, all containing circulating-quality dollars struck at the U.S. Mint facilities in Denver and Philadelphia.
Mike Unser,
What a great review of the Native American Dollar Series, and by that I am referring to both the written and the visual perspective. It is an excellent lead-in to next year’s edition in the Series, which in my opinion has one of the most impressive depictions on the coin’s Reverse I’ve yet seen. Many thanks for your very informative article!
With the death of Jimmy Carter, that means there will be a few additional items for sale by the Mint.
A presidential dollar coin and a spousal medal. If I recall correctly a spousal gold coin and who knows what else.
May God bless and may he rest in peace
Likely, but not certain. The program has ended, a new law will need to be passed for Carter (Congress had to pass a law specifically authorizing the Bush Sr. coin and spousal medal for the same reason).
Presumably, a new law will need to be issued for each President once they pass (Clinton, ‘W’ Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden – did I miss any of the currently living Presidents?). Though, I think Congress should just pass a law that makes this automatic.
I think Congress should just pass a law that makes this automatic.
I agree.
Unfortunately REB, I don’t see anything automatic with Congress in this hyper-political environment, especially when it comes to honoring Democratic presidents. In fact, I suspect Carter may not get a coin. And Clinton or Biden afterwards- one of which could be next.
Didn’t realize that. In fact, the original legislation indicates a 2 year wait is required after a death of a president. The George Bush coin was issued under special legislation and the coin itself was release 2 years plus a week or two after his death. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Yes. I wonder how different history would have been if the military didn’t botch his Iranian hostage rescue mission- which he ordered on Day 1 and took all the heat for throughout- every day on Koppel’s eventually called “Nightline” show. Carter even accepted blame for the mission, the failure of which was not his doing.
He was a good man and the victim of awful timing with the oil embargo and the Iranian hostage-taking. Several analyses of his term seem to be rosier than I recall from 45+ years ago.
I’m looking forward to continuing my first spouse collection with Rosalynn Carter. That will make my slate 19 orders in 2025. It’s looking like a busy year.