Native American Collection

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Today, the vast majority of the Seminole nation is in Oklahoma, but that was not always the case. A small minority remains in Florida, where the tribe originated. The vast difference in location is a result of the infamous Trail of Tears, the path that an estimated 100,000 Native Americans traveled when they were forcibly removed from the their native lands in the American Southeast. Experts estimate that 15,000 people died during the arduous journey. In spite of the displacement, a portion of Seminoles remained in Florida, where they are today honored by having the Florida State athletics teams named after them.

The reverse of the coin features the animal from which Florida State’s main rival, the University of Florida, takes its teams’ name, an alligator. The fierce predator that is home to Florida’s swamps and the Everglades is shown with its mouth open, either snapping at a would-be predator or hoping to catch its nest meal. Among the inscriptions on this face is “JAMUL SOVEREIGN NATION,” the home of the Native American Mint. That is where Native American Dollars are manufactured.