Face Value: 2000 Sacagawea Dollars

Hopes were high in 2000 that the Sacagawea Dollar would find broad acceptance in circulation. Its predecessor, the Susan B. Anthony Dollar, had been plagued by its similarity to the quarter and a design that left much to be desired. Anthony Dollars are dated only 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1999.

For its introduction at the turn of the century, more than 1.2 billion Sacagawea Dollars were struck with the 2000 date. But Americans continued to prefer dollar bills, so these coins are seldom found in circulation. Today, nearly all of the 2000 Sacagawea Dollars are worth face value, but there are a few exceptions. If you encounter a 2000 Sacagawea Dollar, here are some things to look for:

2000-P Prototype Reverse Sacagawea Dollar

To promote the new Sacagawea Dollars, the US Mint partnered with General Mills to place 2000-dated coins (almost all Lincoln Cents) in Cheerios boxes in January 2000. A small percentage of these boxes, 5,500 in all, contained the new Sacagawea Dollars. It was later discovered that most of these had much-more intricate details on the eagle's tailfeathers.

2000-P Prototype Reverse Sacagawea Dollar Click images to enlarge.

The rare coins with this design variation make them highly desirable to numismatists. It is ranked #14 on the list of 100 Greatest US Modern Coins (First Edition). NGC attributes these as "Prototype Reverse," and examples typically sell for thousands of dollars at auction.

2000 Sacagawea Regular Reverse (left) and Prototype Reverse Click images to enlarge.

Some of the Sacagawea Dollars found in Cheerios boxes lack the variations in design. If they are submitted to NGC in their original packaging, NGC attributes them as "Cheerios Promotion" or "Cheerios Promotion Regular Reverse."

2000-P Goodacre Presentation Specimen Sacagawea Dollar

Sculptor Glenna Goodacre designed the acclaimed obverse of the Sacagawea Dollar. For her work, she opted to accept her $5,000 payment in Sacagawea Dollars. The US Mint presented her with coins that had a special finish that is glossy and Prooflike but without Cameo contrast. NGC designates these coins as "Goodacre Presentation"; an example graded NGC MS 67 PL realized $381 in a June 2014 Heritage Auctions sale. Learn more in NGC Coin Explorer.

2000-P Goodacre Presentation Specimen Sacagawea Dollar Click images to enlarge.

2000-D Millennium Set Sacagawea Dollar

As part of a special Millennium Set offered by the US Mint, a Sacagawea Dollar was included with a $1 Federal Reserve Note and a Silver American Eagle. With only 75,000 available, the set quickly sold out once collectors realized that a special preparation had been used to strike the Sacagawea Dollars in this set, making them Prooflike. NGC has certified about 7,000 of these coins; nearly all of them earned NGC's PL (Prooflike) designation, and a small number earned NGC's DPL (Deep Prooflike) designation. A 2000-D Sacagawea Dollar graded NGC MS 68 PL and pedigreed to this set realized $228 in a Heritage Auctions sale in February 2022.

2000-D Millennium Set Sacagawea Dollar Click images to enlarge.

(2000) Sacagawea Dollar Reverse Muled with a State Quarter

The Sacagawea Dollar is among the coins that can be found with a rare mint error known as a "mule." This happens when a die from one coin is incorrectly paired with a die from another coin. If you find any muled coin, save it and research it, because it is likely worth quite a bit of money. Sacagawea Dollars have been found muled with Washington Quarters. Two examples graded NGC Mint Error MS 67 realized $120,000 and $102,000 in Heritage Auctions sales held in January 2019 and September 2019, respectively.

(2000) Sacagawea Dollar Reverse Muled with a State Quarter Click images to enlarge.

2000-P Speared Eagle Sacagawea Variety

If you have a 2000 Sacagawea Dollar that is not any of the varieties listed above, there is one more to consider. It involves a pair of die gouges running diagonally across the eagle's breast, giving rise to the variety nickname of Speared Eagle (also known as Wounded Eagle). A Speared Eagle graded NGC MS 62 realized $94 in a Heritage Auctions sale in June 2018. Learn more in NGC VarietyPlus.

2000-P "Speared Eagle" Sacagawea Dollar Click images to enlarge.

Close-up of the reverse of a 2000-P "Speared Eagle" Sacagawea Click images to enlarge

Related Links:

• More Face Value columns
• NGC Variety Plus