Sacagawea dollar errors and varieties worth checking

Almost every Sacagawea golden dollar is worth face value. The exceptions are a few varieties and errors: the 2000-P Cheerios dollar with extra-detailed tail feathers, the Washington quarter / Sacagawea dollar mule (about 20 known), the Wounded Eagle die gouge, and Native American dollars missing their edge lettering.

By the Coin Scanner team · Updated 2026-10-13

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The Sacagawea dollar has been struck since 2000. It is the golden-colored dollar coin that still turns up in change from postal vending machines. The vast majority are worth exactly one dollar. A handful of varieties and mint errors, though, are some of the most famous modern U.S. coins. Here is how to tell whether yours is one of them.

A quick history

Congress wanted a dollar coin that would not be confused with the quarter, which was the problem that had sunk the Susan B. Anthony dollar. The result was a wide-rimmed, golden-colored coin with a plain edge. The "golden dollar" name leads many people to think it contains gold. It does not: the color comes from manganese brass, which turns a dark mustard color after a short time in circulation.

Demand faded quickly. According to NGC, from 2002 onward the Mint struck only enough Sacagawea dollars to supply collectors. From 2009 the coin became the Native American $1. Under Public Law 110-82, the Sacagawea obverse stays the same and a new reverse each year honors a Native American contribution. These later coins also carry lettering on the edge.

Sacagawea dollar errors and varieties

2000-P "Cheerios" dollar (prototype reverse)

In January 2000, General Mills and the U.S. Mint put a 2000 cent in every box of Cheerios. About one box in 1,800 also held a new, not-yet-released Sacagawea dollar, for a total of 5,500 dollars. In February 2005, collectors discovered that many of these coins had been struck with a prototype reverse die. On that die the eagle's tail feathers and wing show much more detail than on regular coins. Not every Cheerios coin has the enhanced reverse. NGC labels coins with it "Prototype Reverse" and those without it "Cheerios Promotion."

Cheerios dollars are among the most valuable Sacagawea varieties. NGC Auction Central lists a PCGS MS 66 Cheerios promotion dollar that brought $35,250 in July 2015. It also lists a PCGS MS 68 that sold for $34,500 in July 2008. Prices for individual coins vary widely.

2000-P "Wounded Eagle" die gouge

Some 2000-P dollars show a raised line running through the eagle's body just below the breast. It came from a gouge in the die, not from damage to the coin. The Cherrypickers' Guide lists it among reverse die aberrations, and grading services attribute it as the "Wounded Eagle" (some collectors say "Speared Eagle"). It carries a modest premium. NGC notes an MS 62 example that sold for $94 in June 2018.

Washington quarter / Sacagawea dollar mule

A "mule" is a coin struck with two dies that were never meant to go together. In May 2000, an Arkansas collector found a dollar in a circulation roll with a state quarter obverse (Washington's portrait, P mint mark) on one side and the Sacagawea eagle on the other. It was struck on a golden dollar blank. There is no date on the coin, so NGC catalogs it as a "(2000) P" mule.

Mint officials later determined that upwards of 350,000 had been struck. Most were caught and destroyed, but about 20 are known today. One graded MS 66 by PCGS sold for $194,062.50 including buyer's premium in a GreatCollections auction that closed January 21, 2024, a record for the type according to Coin World. If you think you have one, contact a grading service right away.

Missing edge lettering (2009 and later)

Native American dollars from 2009 carry edge lettering, like Presidential dollars, and a coin that missed the lettering step has a plain edge. NGC catalogs missing-edge-lettering errors for 2009 and 2010 Native American dollars. Check the edge of any 2009-or-later Sacagawea-design dollar. A coin dated 2000 to 2008 is supposed to have a plain edge, so a plain edge on one of those dates is normal, not an error.

Low-mintage dates sold mainly to collectors

Because 2002–2008 Sacagawea dollars were made for collectors rather than general circulation, their mintages are tiny next to the 767,140,000 struck at Philadelphia in 2000. The figures below are as listed by NGC Coin Explorer.

Low mintage doesn't automatically mean high value. These coins went mainly to collectors, so they are scarce in pocket change but not necessarily rare or valuable.

How to check your Sacagawea dollar

1. Read the date and mint mark on the front. A 2000-P is the only date that can be a Cheerios or Wounded Eagle coin.
2. Look at the eagle's tail feathers under magnification and compare them with an ordinary 2000-P. Fine, crisp feather lines point to the prototype reverse.
3. Check the eagle's breast for a raised diagonal line (Wounded Eagle). A sunken scratch is post-mint damage, not a die variety.
4. Check the edge on 2009 and later coins for lettering.
5. Be skeptical of "errors" with dents, scratches or color changes. Those almost always happened after the coin left the Mint.

Coin Scanner can help you sort a jar of dollar coins. Photograph both sides and it identifies the type, reads the date and mint mark, and gives an estimated value range. App estimates are a starting point. For a possible Cheerios, mule or other error, ask a recognized grading service such as PCGS or NGC to authenticate it before you sell.

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