Owner Comments:
The 2011 Sacagawea Dollar was the third year of issue for the series that had been relaunched as the Native American Dollar. Many collectors still refer to the coin by the name of the old series due to the continuity of the obverse portrait featuring Sacagawea and her infant son.
Following the legislative requirements for the new series, the reverse design changes annually to depict the contributions of Native American tribes and individuals to the development of the United States. The 2011 coin was similar to the previous year in that the design took a symbolic approach to the theme, a direction that had been encouraged by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.
The theme for the design for the 2011 Sacagawea Dollar was "Diplomacy - Treaties with Tribal Nations." Rather than showing scenes of the peace alliance negotiations, the hands of Massasoit of the Wampanoag Nation and the governor of the settlers at Plymouth Bay are shown exchanging a peace pipe. This symbolized the initiation of the first formal written peace alliance between the Wampanoag Nation and European settlers. The inscriptions include "United States of America", the denomination expressed as "$1", "Wampanoag Treaty 1621".
Each coin includes incused edge lettering, which indicates the date, mint mark, and motto E Pluribus Unum. The direction of the lettering may occur in "Position A" or "Position B", referring to the orientation either towards the obverse or reverse.
An official launch ceremony for the 2011 Sacagawea Dollar was held by the United States Mint on March 25, 2011. The coins were made available in numismatic 25-coin rolls or as included in the 2011 Proof Set, 2011 Silver Proof Set, and 2011 Mint Set. Larger quantities of 250 coins were available through the Direct Ship Program.
Under the authorizing legislation, 20% of all dollar coins produced during the year must be Native American Dollars. This requirement serves to keep mintage levels in line with the concurrent Presidential Dollars series.